RT-SANE: Real Time Security Aware Scheduling on the Network Edge

Abstract

Edge computing extends a traditional cloud data centre model often by using a micro data centre (mdc) at the network edge for computation and storage. As these edge devices are in proximity to users, this results in improved application response times and reduces load on the cloud data center (cdc). In this paper, we propose a security and deadline aware scheduling algorithm called RT-SANE (Real-Time Security Aware scheduling on the Network Edge). Applications with stringent privacy requirements are scheduled on an mdc closer to the user, whereas others can be scheduled on a cdc or a remote mdc. We also discuss how application performance and network latency influence the choice of an mdc or cdc. The intuition is that due to a lower communication latency between the user & the mdc, more applications are able to meet their deadlines when run on the mdc. Conversely, applications with loose deadlines may be executed on a cdc. In order to facilitate this, we also propose a distributed orchestration architecture and protocol that is both performance & security aware. Simulation results show that RTSANE offers superior real-time performance compared to a number of other scheduling policies in an Edge computing environment, while meeting application privacy requirements.