Proactive edge computing in fog networks with latency and reliability guarantees

Abstract This paper studies the problem of task distribution and proactive edge caching in fog networks with latency and reliability constraints. In the proposed approach, user nodes (UNs) offload their computing tasks to edge computing servers (cloudlets). Cloudlets leverage their computing and storage capabilities to proactively compute and store cacheable computing results. In this regard, a task popularity estimation and caching policy schemes are proposed. Furthermore, the problem of UNs’ tasks distribution to cloudlets is modeled as a one-to-one matching game. In this game, UNs whose requests exceed a delay threshold use the notion of hedged-requests to enqueue their request in another cloudlet, and offload the task data to whichever is available first. A matching algorithm based on the deferred-acceptance matching is used to solve this game. Simulation results show that the proposed approach guarantees reliable service and minimal latency, reaching up to 50 and 65% reduction in the average delay and the 99th percentile delay, as compared to reactive baseline schemes