Incentive-Driven Proactive Application Deployment and Pricing on Distributed Edges

Applications deployed on edge servers improve users' experience, when compared to deployments on cloud servers. Existing works usually assume that a central scheduler helps in making decisions, but they are often inefficient, inaccurate, or time-consuming. In this paper, we present a proactive application deployment system, which consists of three modules (i.e., incentive, profit, and latency). Based on the architecture of a fully distributed edge network, our system includes SELL, a Spontaneous Edge depLoyment aLgorithm in the incentive module. SELL lets edge servers compete with each other in a two-stage Stackelberg game to win deployment rights, and the winners get paid for their deployment efforts. The other two modules help recursively adjust service prices and deployment intentions in view of their own profits. Simulations on the proactive edge application deployment system demonstrate that SELL can help an application provider find appropriate edge servers to deploy applications while maximizing the profits for both parties in a low latency.

Automated summary

This paper presents a proactive application deployment system consisting of three modules (incentive, profit, and latency) that optimizes application deployment based on a fully distributed edge network architecture. The SELL algorithm in the incentive module allows edge servers to compete for deployment rights in a two-stage Stackelberg game and receive payment for their efforts. The other two modules recursively adjust service prices and deployment intentions based on their own profits. Simulations demonstrate that the SELL algorithm can help application providers find suitable edge servers for deployment while maximizing profits for both parties with low latency.