EDGEFIRE - Future edge vIrtual seRvicEs

End-to-end network latency has a very negative impact when the cloud resources (typically run in large-scale Data Centers – DC) are used to run delay-sensitive virtual applications such as real-time video analysis, video-on-demand or virtual desktop. Moreover, the transport of high data rates towards the DC also increases network utilization. In order to reduce the end-user latencies, and optimize the use of network resources, computing resources are needed in different distributed network locations, closer to the network edge. It is in this sense that edge computing (also known as fog computing) is necessary to reduce the impact of the network latency. Moreover, the usage of this edge resources will free network resources, benefiting network operators.

In order to dynamically run on-demand virtual applications, EdgeFIRE introduces a Virtual Application Orchestrator. It extends the concept of NFV Orchestrator to any kind of applications and it also introduces a novel degree of dynamicity towards the underlying network resources.