Feature Description
▶ Overview
● EdgeGallery open-source platforms include the MEP Developer Portal, MEP Platform, MEP Application Store, and MEP Manager.
● EdgeGallery provides an open-source and end-to-end MEC solution. The system uses microservice design concepts that communicate with each other through HTTP. Based on Kubernetes, all services have been containerized.
● EdgeGallery provides open interfaces for third-party applications and vendors to help bring their applications onboard the EdgeGallery platform.
● EdgeGallery provides a web portal for unified O&M.
▶ Basic Functions
1 MEP Developer Portal
☞ Features
The MEP Developer Portal has the following features:
● Built-in open network capabilities of the MEP Developer Portal
● Comprehensive platform migration tools
● Online debugging
● CI/CD capabilities
The MEP Developer Portal supports multiple platforms, including x86 and ARM.
☞ Values
Developers can easily make choices step-by-step in IDE provided by the MEP Developer Portal, simplifying the onboard process and providing convenience for developers, who can also experience API implementation for related open capabilities online through the MEP Developer Portal, and perform online debugging, deployment, development, and self-verification on the MEP Developer Portal.
☞ Features
● Comprehensive platform migration tool
The IDE Portal of the MEP Developer Portal features a built-in platform migration tool that allows users to select the hardware platform to be deployed in the project creation phase. The MEP Developer Portal then intelligently integrates the migration tools of the corresponding hardware platform.
● Online API debugging
The IDE portal of the MEP developer platform integrates the open-source components of the Swagger UI to enable users to select the open capabilities for their applications on the guide page of the IDE Portal in their own IDE workspace. The MEP Developer Portal then automatically generates related API documents based on the selected capabilities, meaning that developers can directly view the APIs related to the selected capabilities online. In addition, the MEP Developer Portal deploys a simulation for each project so that developers can use the Portal to perform online tests in the development phase.
● CI/CD tool chain
The MEP Developer Portal provides various development conveniences for developers.
Image packaging：
a. If developers need to package images, the MEP Developer Portal provides the guide to packaging the VM and container, helping developers to package images locally and upload images to the MEP Developer Portal for subsequent operations. Alternatively, users can upload image packages to their own images. The MEP Developer Portal supports standard Docker commands for operations such as Pull, Push, and Update.
b. The MEP Developer Portal can generate a Dockerfile based on the source code; automatically generate a Docker, and upload the Docker to the image repository of the MEP Developer Portal.
c. The MEP Developer Portal provides tutorials that developers can use to quickly experience and get familiar with the end-to-end capabilities of the MEP Developer Portal.
Installation and deployment：
After developers prepare images, the MEP Developer Portal provides edge computing servers for application deployment. After the deployment is successful, developers can directly obtain the deployment environment to perform end-to-end service tests.
Application release：
The MEP Developer Portal can automatically generate an application deployment package based on the parameters entered by the developer. After all tests are complete, the developer can determine whether to release the application to the MEP Application Store based on the design. If users are willing to further contribute to the open source platform, they can also open the application to the MEP Developer Portal so that subsequent developers can use the application’s open capabilities.
● MEP Developer Portal openness
The openness of the MEP Developer Portal comes from two aspects. First, the built-in openness capability developed by the MEP Developer Portal. Second, application developers can freely contribute their applications to the MEP Developer Portal and provide corresponding API documents for subsequent developers to use.
☞ Feature enhancement
None
☞ Dependency
MEP Platform
2 MEP Platform
☞ Features
Developers can integrate the MEP Platform without coding. For example, capabilities such as service registration, service governance, and service communication can be implemented through the MEP Platform. If an application developer needs to use the open capabilities of the MEP Platform, the application can directly invoke the interfaces of the MEP Platform without requiring new configurations.
☞ Values
● Applications can get on board the MEP Platform without integrate coding.
● No additional configuration is required. The MEP Platform can be directly used to invoke and route the MEP open capability on the Edge.
☞ Features
Codeless Integration MEP
a. The MEP Platform provides multiple deployment modes, such as microservices or container images.
b. No code needs to be developed for applications. Only a small amount of application information needs to be configured, and the MEP Platform and applications must be deployed in the same container.
c. The MEP Platform provides capabilities such as service registration, DNS, and routing and forwarding within the MEP Platform.
d. The application can be implemented only by invoking the RESTful interface with a few modifications.
MEP Openness Improvement with Open Architecture
Based on the MEP Platform and MEP, the application can open its capabilities for subsequent applications after being integrated with the MEP.
☞ Feature enhancement
None
☞ Dependency
None
3 MEP Management Plane
☞ Features
The MEP Management Plane provides application lifecycle management and supports the management of multiple edge computing platforms. Applications can be deployed based on VMs or Docker. During deployment, you can synchronize the application package from the MEP Application Store to the platform, and distribute the package to the edge through the MEP Management Plane for deployment.
☞ Values
● The MEP Management Plane is convenient for application addition, deletion, modification, and query.
● The MEP Management Plane is convenient for users to view the resource usage of edge nodes.
● The MEP Management Plane is convenient for users to manage the MEP Platform of edge nodes.
☞ Features
Container-based and VM-based Application Management
The Management Plane manages applications based on Kubernetes. Both Helm and Kubernetes deployment modes are supported, and the Kubevirt can be used to manage VMs based on Kubernetes.
Node management
The management plane monitors the entire MEC network by integrating Grafana/Prometheus, and can monitor MEP, applications, and Kubernetes through edge nodes.
Catalog
The Catalog of the MEP Management Plane manages the application packages synchronized by MECM from the MEP Application Stores. In addition, the application packages can be distributed to edge computing nodes in advance by registering the system, reducing the time required to download related images during the deployment of the MEP Management Plane.
☞ Feature enhancement
None
☞ Dependency
Kubernetes，Kubevirt
4 MEP Application Store
☞ Features
The MEP Application Store provides centralized application management, and allows users to view detailed information and manage all versions of uploaded applications.
☞ Values
The MEP Application Store’s centralized application management provides a one-stop portal for application buyers, builds a bridge between application developers and application consumers, and ensures that applications pass related tests before entering the actual production system.
☞ Features
Testing system
The MEP Application Store integrates the VNFSDK test framework of ONAP, which is provided for application developers and consumers to define their own test cases, ensuring that applications meet their development expectations or system requirements.
Application management
The MEP Application Store provides a comprehensive uploading and downloading mechanism and manages application packages of multiple versions. Users can select historical versions of applications to perform development and testing, as it facilitates gray release and version rollback for developers.
☞ Feature enhancement
None
☞ Dependency
None
▶ Acronyms and abbreviations
| Acronym | English full name | 中文全称 |
| MEC | Multi-access Edge Computing | 多接入边缘计算 |
| MEP | MEC Platform | 边缘计算平台 |
| ETSI | European Telecommunications Standards Institute | 欧洲电信标准协会 |
