Conference
Performance Analysis of Apache OpenWhisk Across the Edge-Cloud Continuum
IEEE 16th International Conference on Cloud Computing (CLOUD), Chicago, 2023, pp. 401–407.
Research Programme
Secure Service Placement for IoT
(2019-2022)
Service Function Chains
Multi-Cloud
Apache OpenWhisk
VNFs
Edge-Cloud
Internet of Things (IoT)
Infrastructure / Systems (IS)
Security (S)
Project Overview
This research investigates the optimal placement of Service Function Chains (SFCs) in multi-cloud architectures subject to security constraints. As enterprises increasingly adopt virtualised network functions (VNFs) deployed across multiple cloud providers to support IoT applications, the challenge of efficient and secure service placement becomes critical. VNFs must be deployed across distributed cloud infrastructure while simultaneously satisfying requirements related to cost minimisation, resource availability, latency, and proximity to end-users through Service Function Chaining. The project develops algorithms that balance security requirements with performance and cost optimisation across the edge-cloud continuum, ensuring that sensitive data processing and network functions are placed on infrastructure that meets specified trust and compliance thresholds. The research evaluates the performance characteristics of serverless computing platforms, particularly Apache OpenWhisk, across distributed edge and cloud deployments to understand the trade-offs involved in placing functions at different points in the computing continuum.
Experimental analysis examines latency, throughput, and resource utilisation patterns when function chains span heterogeneous infrastructure providers with varying security postures. These measurements provide empirical evidence for the costs and benefits of different placement strategies, helping service providers make informed decisions about where to deploy security-sensitive processing functions.
The project contributes scheduling and placement strategies that enable IoT service providers to compose complex processing pipelines across multi-cloud environments while maintaining security guarantees. Conducted from 2019 to 2022, this research programme advances understanding of how security-aware orchestration can support reliable IoT service delivery in increasingly distributed computing landscapes.
Team
Areej Alabbas
Omer Rana
Charith Perera