Application Platform Hosting in Multi-Access Edge Computing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing application platforms are vulnerable to malicious attacks from unauthorized devices, leading to resource wastage in identifying and rectifying these attacks, and increased latency in user device communication due to external hosting.
Innovation Solution
A mobile network operator (MNO) network with a Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) network is configured to host the application platform, limiting access to authorized devices only, using MNO management servers to identify and block malicious attempts, and geographically locating MEC servers near user devices to reduce latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the application platform is hosted externally (e.g., on the Internet), then accessibility is improved, but latency increases and security is worsened due to exposure to malicious attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the application platform from external Internet hosting to edge computing nodes within the cellular network infrastructure. This dimensional shift from public to private network space simultaneously improves security (isolated from Internet attacks) and reduces latency (geographically closer to users via edge locations).
Solution Approach 2:
The MEC network acts as an intermediary between the application platform and user devices. It provides a secure sandboxed environment that filters malicious traffic while maintaining low-latency communication through optimized local routing, resolving both security and latency concerns.
2Reliability
If the application platform is hosted externally, then deployment flexibility is improved, but computing resources are wasted identifying and rectifying malicious attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary security configuration by sandboxing the application platform within the controlled MEC network environment before deployment. This pre-establishes security boundaries and authentication mechanisms, preventing malicious attacks before they can consume computing resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of external accessibility into benefit by using the MEC network's controlled environment to filter and block malicious traffic at the network level, transforming what would be resource-consuming security incidents into pre-blocked threats that never reach the application platform.
3Loss of time
If MEC servers are geographically located near user devices, then latency is reduced, but network complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the application platform into distributed instances across multiple edge locations rather than a single centralized server. This segmentation reduces latency by placing computing resources closer to user groups while managing complexity through modular, standardized deployment units that can be independently configured.
Data Source
AI summary
A network device may determine, based on a provisioning request to host an application platform, a configuration of resources of a network for maintaining the application platform within the network. The network device may provision the resources to permit access to the application platform via a domain. The network device may receive, from a user device, a domain request that includes the domain, wherein the domain request is associated with configuring an application session between an application of the user device and the application platform. The network device may provide, to the user device, a response that includes an address of a host resource of the application platform, wherein the host resource is one of the resources. The network device may receive, from the user device, a session request that includes the address and may establish the application session between the user device and the host resource.