Yan Zhang - Mobile Edge Computing

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This book offers comprehensive, self-contained knowledge on Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), a very promising technology for achieving intelligence in next-generation wireless communications and computing networks. With the rapid development of beyond 5G/6G and the Internet of Things, increasing number of smart devices are being deployed at the edge of networks. Due to the enormous amount of data and long transmission distances, centralized computing mechanisms incur high latency and network congestion. By placing the computing and storage resources closer to the users, MEC can significantly increase performance in terms of low latency, reduced communications overhead, and high-quality user experience. Further, processing data on edge devices will enhance system security and data privacy.

This book allows for easy cross-referencing owing to the broad coverage on both the principle and applications of MEC. It covers the basics, essential topics, and future directions of MEC. It also details the design and implementation of communications, computing, and caching in MEC. The book starts with the basic concepts, key techniques, and network architectures of MEC. Then, we present the wide applications of MEC, including edge caching, 6G networks, the Internet of Vehicles, and unmanned aerial vehicles. In the last part, we present new opportunities when MEC meets blockchain, artificial intelligence, and distributed machine learning (e.g., federated learning). We also identify the emerging applications of MEC in a pandemic, the Industrial Internet of Things, and disaster management.

The objectives of this book are to provide the basic concepts of MEC, to explore the promising application scenarios of MEC integrated with emerging technologies, and to give insights into the possible future directions of MEC. For better understanding, this book also presents a few use cases of MEC models and applications in different scenarios. The primary audience includes senior undergraduate and postgraduate students, educators, scientists, researchers, engineers, innovators, and research strategists. This book is mainly designed for academics and researchers from both academia and industry who are working in the field of wireless networks and edge intelligence. Students majoring in computer science, electronics, and communications will also benefit from this book. The content of this book will also be useful for senior undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty working in MEC.

This book was mainly written during the COVID-19 period, and the writing took much longer than expected. My gratitude goes out to all of my excellent students and research collaborators. I appreciate all their contributions of time, discussions, and ideas that made this book possible. Our joint publications in IEEE journals and conferences provided solid, high-quality material for the book.