Piccolo: In-network compute for 5G services

Piccolo将为移动网络的长期发展提供基础性的技术突破，包括5G和更高的网络，使这些网络及其运营商以及新的市场进入者能够支持新出现的应用和服务--从而促进广泛的创新。作为关键技术，Piccolo将在统一的网络内计算架构中引入前所未有的网络、计算和数据存储能力的融合。该平台将通过使用轻量级和安全的虚拟化技术组合lambda功能，允许在靠近用户的网络节点上灵活、轻松和即兴地实例化应用程序。Piccolo方法的即时性和短暂性将很好地补充(并能够与)目前标准化的移动边缘计算及其服务创造模型进行交互。Piccolo将推动其从两个与隐私保护数据处理相关的苛刻用例中发展：1)在汽车领域，混合车载和边缘计算，用于数据处理和控制循环；2)在物联网领域，用于物联网视觉处理和相关的AI.Piccolo将开发新的网络计算解决方案，消除边缘/雾计算的已知和新出现的缺陷。我们的愿景是，每个节点都在一个完整的架构中包含处理、存储和联网功能。技术重点有两个方面：(1)针对网络和第三方功能的计算平台，解决快速、轻量级、安全的虚拟化和数据平面隔离问题；(2)分布式系统，以确保网络可扩展、弹性和安全，并支持计算、网络和存储资源的联合优化。我们的目标是创建“透明网络计算”的互联网原则，以补充当今的“透明网络”，从而为无许可的创新和增长提供新的维度。Piccolo将提供新的技术概念、体系结构和机制，以对网络计算使用案例的理解为基础。这些将在(开放的)软件系统中实现，在几个用例中进行广泛评估，并通过软件、(预)标准化工作以及最终合作伙伴的增强产品进行传播。

Piccolo will offer foundational technology breakthroughs for the long-term evolution of mobile networks, including 5G and beyond, enabling those networks and their operators as well as new market entrants to support newly emerging applications and services -- and thus also foster broad innovation. As key technology, Piccolo will introduce an unprecedented blending of networking, computing and data storage capabilities in a uniform in-network computing architecture. This platform will allow flexible, easy, and impromptu instantiation of applications across network nodes, close to the user, by combining lambda functions using lightweight and secure virtualisation techniques. The instant and ephemeral nature of the Piccolo approach will nicely complement (and be able to interact with) the presently standardised mobile edge computing and its service creation model.Piccolo will drive its development from two demanding use cases related to privacy-preserving data processing: 1) in the automotive domain for blending in-car and edge computing for data processing and control loops; and 2) in the area of Internet of Things for IoT vision processing and associated AI.Piccolo will develop new solutions for in-network computing that remove known and emerging deficiencies of edge/fog computing. Our vision is that every node includes processing, storage and networking capabilities in an integral architecture. The technical focus is twofold: (1) Compute platforms for network and 3rd party functions addressing fast, lightweight, secure virtualisation and data plane isolation ; (2) Distributed systems to ensure the network is scalable, resilient and secure, and supporting the joint optimisation of compute, network, and storage resources.Our objective is to create an Internet principle of "transparent in-network computing" that complements today's "transparent networking" and so enables a fresh dimension for permissionless innovation and growth.Piccolo will deliver new technical concepts, architecture and mechanisms, underpinned by an understanding of the use cases for in-network computing. Those will be realised in (open) software systems, extensively evaluated in several use cases, and disseminated via software, (pre-)standardisation efforts, and, ultimately, enhanced products of the partners.