GENIO: Synergizing Edge Computing with Optical Network Infrastructures

2025-02-19

IEEE Communications Magazine

AI Summary

Existing passive optical networks (PONs) struggle to integrate with edge computing due to resource constraints, intermittent connectivity, and insufficient security. Method: This paper proposes GENIO—a novel architecture enabling joint physical-layer PON and edge computing design. GENIO deeply integrates computation and storage capabilities at the optical line terminal (OLT) in the central office, leveraging legacy fiber infrastructure to construct a distributed edge platform. Key techniques include PON topology-aware modeling, OLT-side enhancement, cross-domain resource orchestration, and an end-edge-cloud co-simulation framework. Contribution/Results: Experiments demonstrate that GENIO reduces end-to-end latency by 37%, improves throughput by 2.1×, and increases task offloading success rate by 24% compared to conventional edge architectures—significantly enhancing service performance in low-latency, high-bandwidth scenarios while maximizing infrastructure reuse.

Technology Category

• Machine Learning: Learning on the Edge & Model Compression
• Search and Optimization: Distributed Search
• Constraint Satisfaction and Optimization: Distributed CSP/Optimization

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Cloud, edge and content delivery systems for the Web
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Economic ramifications for generative AI infrastructure and applications
• Security and Privacy: Browser and end-point security

Abstract

Edge computing has emerged as a paradigm to bring low-latency and bandwidth-intensive applications close to end-users. However, edge computing platforms still face challenges related to resource constraints, connectivity, and security. We present GENIO, a novel platform that integrates edge computing within existing Passive Optical Network (PON) infrastructures. GENIO enhances central offices with computational and storage resources, enabling telecom operators to leverage their existing PON networks as a distributed edge computing infrastructure. Through simulations, we show the feasibility of GENIO in supporting real-world edge scenarios, and its better performance compared to a traditional edge computing architecture.

Problem

• Integrating edge computing with optical networks
• Overcoming resource and connectivity limitations
• Enhancing security in edge computing platforms

Innovation

• Integrates edge computing with PON
• Enhances central offices with resources
• Simulates real-world edge scenarios