FogComputing

Fog computing is a decentralized computing architecture that extends cloud capabilities to the edge of the network. It brings computing, storage, and analytics closer to data sources such as sensors and industrial equipment, enabling faster processing and reduced bandwidth usage. The term was coined by Cisco in 2012 to describe a layer between devices at the edge and centralized cloud data centers.

Architecture typically comprises edge devices, intermediate fog nodes (such as gateways, routers, switches with computing resources), and the cloud. Fog nodes provide local processing, storage, and services, while the cloud offers centralized data management and long-term analytics. Orchestration and virtualization technologies manage deployment, security, and data routing across this hierarchy. Data is often preprocessed at the fog layer, with summaries or filtered streams sent upstream as appropriate.

Benefits include lower latitude for real-time applications, reduced bandwidth and cloud load, improved resilience and offline operation, and enhanced context awareness due to proximity to data sources. It supports mobility and geo-distributed deployments.

Challenges include security and privacy risks, trust in multiple fog nodes, device heterogeneity, interoperability, and governance. Managing dynamic topologies, software updates, and monitoring across distributed fog ecosystems can be complex. Resource limitations at fog nodes and energy consumption are also considerations.

Applications span industrial IoT, smart cities, autonomous or connected vehicles, healthcare monitoring, energy management, and precision agriculture. Fog computing is often discussed in relation to edge computing and cloud computing as a layered continuum for processing data.