SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
Copyright (c) 2019 Intel Corporation
InterApp Communication Support in Smart Edge Open
Overview
Multi-core edge cloud platforms typically host multiple containers or virtual machines as PODs. These applications sometimes need to communicate with each other as part of a service or consuming services from another application instance. This means that an edge cloud platform should provide not just the data plane interface (to enable user data transfer to and from clients) but also the infrastructure to enable applications to communicate with each other whether they are on the same platform or spanning across multiple platforms. Smart Edge Open provides the infrastructure for both in the network edge mode.
NOTE: The InterApps Communication mentioned here is not just for applications but it is also applicable for Network functions (Core Network User plane, Base station, etc.).
InterApp Communication support in Smart Edge Open Network Edge
InterApp communication on the Smart Edge Open Network Edge is supported using Open Virtual Network for Open vSwitch OVN/OVS as the infrastructure. OVN/OVS in the network edge is supported through the Kubernetes kube-OVN Container Network Interface (CNI).
NOTE: The InterApps Communication also works with Calico cni. Calico is supported as a default cni in Smart Edge Open from 21.03 release.
OVN/OVS is used as a default networking infrastructure for:
- Data plane interface: User data transmission between User Equipment (UE) and edge applications
- InterApp interface : Communication infrastructure for applications to communicate
- Default interface: Interface for managing the application POD (e.g., SSH to application POD)
- Cloud/Internet interface: Interface for edge applications to communicate with the cloud/Internet
Figure - Smart Edge Open Network Edge Interfaces