Middleware for fog and edge computing: Design issues

This chapter discusses different aspects of design of middleware for fog and edge architecture (FEA). It presents state-of-the-art middleware for fog and edge infrastructures and proposes architecture of middleware that supports distributed mobile applications with specific requirements of applications. The proposed middleware primarily focuses on application-aware task scheduling and data acquisition. A varied class of mobile applications can utilize FEA middleware. The chapter summarizes the requirements for emerging applications. Fog and edge computing applications include the following: batch processing that needs large-scale data acquisition and distributed processing; quick-response application that needs a response in real time; and stream applications that require processing of a continuous data stream in real time. The chapter presents a case study that describes an example of a perpetrator tracking application that can be designed through middleware. It also highlights some of the newer areas of research that will improve the design of FEA in the future.