Over-the-Top Resource Broker System for Split Computing: An Approach to Distribute Cloud Computing Infrastructure

2025-08-11

AI Summary

To address the challenges of cross-operator heterogeneous infrastructure coordination, complex service deployment, and insufficient performance guarantees in 6G networks, this paper proposes an Over-the-Top Resource Broker—a network-computing co-designed, cross-layer resource brokerage architecture. The architecture leverages split computing, multi-level resource virtualization, service-level agreement (SLA) negotiation protocols, and distributed state management to enable unified abstraction and fine-grained, location- and service-aware scheduling across dynamic cloud-edge-end nodes. It represents the first extension of the resource broker paradigm to native 6G scenarios, supporting multi-provider resource sharing and performance-guaranteed, on-demand service provisioning. Prototype evaluation demonstrates that the system significantly reduces cross-domain service integration complexity while improving resource utilization and scheduling flexibility.

Technology Category

• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Plan Execution and Monitoring
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Agent Architectures
• Application Domains: Internet of Things, Sensor Networks & Smart Cities

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Virtualization and resource management in Web systems and infrastructures
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Incentives in network design for Web infrastructures and ecosystems
• Graph Algorithms and Modeling for the Web: Algorithms and analysis for heterogeneous, signed, attributed, multi-relational, temporal, higher-order, and annotated Web-related graphs

Abstract

6G network architectures will usher in a wave of innovative services and capabilities, introducing concepts like split computing and dynamic processing nodes. This implicates a paradigm where accessing resources seamlessly aligns with diverse processing node characteristics, ensuring a uniform interface. In this landscape, the identity of the operator becomes inconsequential, paving the way for a collaborative ecosystem where multiple providers contribute to a shared pool of resources. At the core of this vision is the guarantee of specific performance parameters, precisely tailored to the location and service requirements. A consistent layer, as the abstraction of the complexities of different infrastructure providers, is needed to simplify service deployment. One promising approach is the introduction of an over-the-top broker for resource allocation, which streamlines the integration of these services into the network and cloud infrastructure of the future. This paper explores the role of the broker in two split computing scenarios. By abstracting the complexities of various infrastructures, the broker proves to be a versatile solution applicable not only to cloud environments but also to networks and beyond. Additionally, a detailed discussion of a proof-of-concept implementation provides insights into the broker's actual architectural framework.

Problem

• Distribute cloud computing infrastructure for 6G split computing
• Ensure uniform interface across diverse processing node characteristics
• Abstract complexities of multiple infrastructure providers for seamless deployment

Innovation

• Over-the-top broker for resource allocation
• Abstracting complexities of infrastructure providers
• Proof-of-concept implementation for architectural framework