Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) moves the computing of traffic and services from a centralized cloud to the edge of the network and closer to the customer. Instead of sending all data to a cloud for processing, the network edge analyzes, processes, and stores the data. Collecting and processing data closer to the customer reduces latency and brings real-time performance to high-bandwidth applications.
MEC characteristics include: Proximity / Ultra-low latency / High bandwidth / Virtualization.
MEC also offers cloud-computing capabilities and an IT service environment at the edge of the network. You typically implement MEC with data centers that are distributed at the edge. Applications at the edge require a high bandwidth and low latency environment. To achieve that service providers create distributed data centers, or distributed clouds. The resources that make up a cloud can reside anywhere—from a centralized datacenter to a cell site, a central office, an aggregation site, a metro data center, or on the customer premises. The MEC platform enables distributed edge computing by processing content at the edge using either a server or a CPE …
