Edge Computing Towards Smart Applications: A Survey

Background: The increasing demand for Internet of Things (IoT) devices has been accompanied by an increase in the amount of data generated by them that need to be transferred, processed, and stored. Transferring the data of these devices to cloud computing leads to the occurrence of bottlenecks in the data networks, and therefore, an increase in the delay. Edge computing is used to reduce the delay by executing the computing process close to the data source, and it provides an important security advantage by reducing the amount of data actually at risk in a single moment. Furthermore, it provides an affordable and scalable avenue, providing unparalleled reliability. Objective: The study aimed to highlight the challenges associated with moving data from the cloud to the edge. Methods: In this paper, a survey has been presented related to edge computing from the perspective of requirements and applications, mentioning the most important contributions made by researchers in this field. Conclusion: The increase in the number of sensors in the Internet of Things revolution created a great momentum that can be addressed by relying on the edges close to the user to ensure the confidentiality of information, especially in real-time applications, such as health care systems and drones, etc. © 2023 Bentham Science Publishers.