AL-FEC Application on NGMN-Edge Computing Integrated Systems

Edge computing or edge networking is an architecture that uses one or more collaborative multitude of end-user clients or near-user edge devices to carry out a substantial amount of communication, control, management or other operations. Edge Computing for mobile networks is a new technology which is currently under standardization providing an IT service environment and cloud-computing capabilities at the edge of the mobile network in close proximity to the mobile end users. The aim of this technology is to reduce latency, ensure highly efficient network operation and service delivery, providing improved user experience. All of these can be translated into value and can create opportunities for operators, application and content providers enabling them to better utilize the mobile broadband capabilities. Furthermore, edge computing enables a new value chain for end users but also for industries allowing to efficient deliver their applications over the mobile network providing fresh business opportunities and new use cases. FEC is a feedback free error recovery method where the sender introduces redundant data in advance with the source data enabling the recipient to recover from different arbitrary packet losses. Recently, the adoption of FEC error control method has been boosted by the introduction of the powerful RaptorQ Application Layer FEC (AL-FEC) codes. In this work we propose the integration of AL-FEC error protection application at the edge layer. We propose a novel AL-FEC application architecture scheme based on RaptorQ codes and we analyze the performance enhancements such an error control architecture can introduce on Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN)-edge computing integrated systems.