Software-Defined Multi-Access Edge/Cloud Computing for 5G/6G Time-Critical Services

Multiple Access Edge Computing (MEC) is a key driver in the development of 5G/6G networks for the provision of time-critical services. This is primarily due to the ability to compute and cache in close proximity to users. However, most of the traditional MEC architectures are based on proprietary hardware, and its software functions are tightly integrated with the hardware, so they are not flexible to support the changing service requirements of 5G/6G networks. To address this problem, we propose the integration of Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and cloud virtualization techniques, such as containers, with the MEC architecture and the 5G/6G core system. This approach enables flexible management of computing resources and rapid adaptation to critical end-user requirements. The proposed conceptual architecture aims at end-to-end mobility support necessary to ensure service continuity when end-users move from one MEC to another while guaranteeing the necessary service delay. The proposed architecture is verified through simulations in an extended version of Mininet called the Containernet, which highlight the benefits of centralized network intelligence as well as the modularity and portability offered by SDNs and containers. In our future work, we will develop a method for adaptively selecting the optimal service server in a hierarchical computation system under different system load conditions. This method will ensure high-Quality of Service (QoS) provisioning for virtual reality services in 6G networks.