Accelerator Virtualization in Fog Computing: Moving from the Cloud to the Edge

Hardware accelerators are available on the cloud for enhanced analytics. Next-generation clouds aim to bring enhanced analytics using accelerators closer to user devices at the edge of the network for improving quality of service (QoS) by minimizing end-to-end latencies and response times. The collective computing model that utilizes resources at the cloud-edge continuum in a multi-tier hierarchy comprising the cloud, edge, and user devices is referred to as fog computing. This article identifies challenges and opportunities in making accelerators accessible at the edge. A holistic view of the fog architecture is key to pursuing meaningful research in this area.