[Translate to Englisch:] Cloud-Edge-Architektur

Architecture for Fast 5G Networks

Pioneering work in the Software Engineering working group: It develops and tests a new platform for 5G networks. Key elements are edge servers for fast data processing close to the end device.

Due to very short response times and enormous data transmission rates, compared to previous standards, the fifth generation of the cellular network (5G) enables extremely fast data transmission and processing within the network. These properties are necessary for large amounts of data to be sent to many end-users over long distances in real time. Such an application scenario can be found, for example, in the live transmission of images from an HD camera. With the previous mobile phone standards, such image transmission can only be implemented with a noticeable delay. This is where the new 5G standard starts.

New standards with new demands

In the future, features such as an enormously short reaction time, a very high data transmission rate and the support of a large number of end-users should enable application cases such as live transmission of images, autonomous driving, Internet of Things (IoT) as well as Smart Cities.

The acceptance and processing of user requests is carried out by different services and applications usually located within the cloud and thus outside the 5G network. In this case, the data is transmitted rapidly within the 5G network; however, when leaving the mobile network, the quality characteristics of the 5G standard can no longer be guaranteed. So if cloud services are to be used in the traditional way, there will always be a loss of connection quality. With such an infrastructure we cannot fully benefit of the new standard.

New architectures for 5G advantages

In order to make the best use of the features of a 5G network, 5G-specific software architectures that enable the processing of data close to the end user must be developed. For this reason, the focus of the Chair of Software Engineering at the University of Duisburg-Essen is on the conception, implementation and testing of the appropriate architectures.

Solution at the edge: Edge Server

One key element that creates the conditions for efficient software architectures is the integration and usage of decentralized data processing by so-called Edge Servers. Unlike in the past, the processing of data does not work from servers in central cloud data centers, but from decentralized servers that are positioned on the edge of the 5G network near the end users. All data remains within the 5G network without leaving it.

The integration of Edge Servers into the 5G network enables users to benefit from the immense advantages of 5G in terms of speed and the amount of transmitted data.

In such a 3-layer infrastructure of user-edge-cloud, it is best that the edge servers are as close as possible to the end users, i.e. to the 5G transmitters. All requests from users are thus processed and answered in their immediate vicinity. This can be an advantage, especially when transmitting sensitive data, because the transmission distance is shorter and therefore less susceptible to unauthorized access from outside. More important, however, may be the pure quantity and speed of the data to be transmitted.

Platform as a prerequisite for IoT and Smart Cities

As part of CC5G.NRW, a platform is being created at the University of Duisburg-Essen, on which data can be processed both correctly and efficiently within a 5G network. Such a data processing system is a prerequisite for technologies such as autonomous driving, the Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart Cities to benefit from 5G.

In this area research is real pioneering work: So far, there has been little preliminary work and research that deals with such a solution approach. In addition, not only software that works as efficiently as possible in 5G is to be developed, but also the architecture is to be designed and implemented as flexible as possible. This enables the supply of the widest possible range of applications.

This entry was first posted in 5G.NRW. 5G.NRW Competence Center is the 5G information platform for North Rhine-Westphalia. The center bundles analyses, news and trends of the innovation partners. Best practices provide insights into current research and development projects.

https://5g.nrw/architektur-der-geschwindigkeit/


 

Über 5G.NRW

Das Competence Center 5G.NRW – CC5G.NRW (kurz: 5G.NRW) trägt dazu bei, Nordrhein-Westfalen zum Leitmarkt für 5G zu entwickeln: Es reduziert technische Eintrittshürden für Unternehmen, entwickelt die wirtschaftlichen Potenziale für die vertikalen Märkte – wie Automotive und Mobilität, Energie, Lebensmittel und Landwirtschaft, Smart Cities, Gesundheitswesen und Produktion und viele mehr –  und beschleunigt die Innovationsdiffusion.

Die paluno-Arbeitsgruppe Software Engineering arbeitet in einem Konsortium zusammen mit dem SIKoM+ an der Bergischen Universität Wuppertal, der Technischen Universität Dortmund sowie dem FIR an der RWTH Aachen.

Weitere Informationen: https://se.wiwi.uni-due.de/forschung/5gnrw/