The new studies include MEC application programming, management interfaces, essential platform functionality, end-to-end mobility and MEC in a network function virtualisation (NFV) environment. The group's three new releases define mobile edge computing terminology, study technical requirements and use-cases and specify the framework and reference architecture of MEC. Four proof of concept demonstrations have also been showcased to demonstrate the feasibility of the MEC concept and the value it offers.
MEC is identified as a key enabler for IoT and mission-critical, vertical solutions and is recognised as one of the key architectural concepts and technologies for 5G. MEC ISG aims to create a standardised, open environment for the efficient and seamless integration of applications from vendors, service providers, and third-parties across multi-vendor Mobile-edge Computing platforms. Its new specification documents detail the following:
GS MEC 001: provides a glossary of terms related to the conceptual, architectural and functional elements of Mobile Edge Computing. This will enable consistent use of terminology within ETSI MEC specifications and, beyond the ISG, more widely in industry.
GS MEC 002: specifies technical requirements enabling interoperability and deployment and describe examples of use cases of mobile edge computing.
GS MEC 003: provides a framework and reference architecture to enable mobile edge applications to run efficiently and seamlessly in a mobile network. It also describes the functional elements and the reference points between them, and a number of mobile edge services that comprise the solution.
“MEC has created great momentum in the industry and is evolving into a key building block in the evolution of mobile broadband networks, complementing NFV and SDN,” commented Nurit Sprecher, chair of ETSI MEC.
