Double deep Q-network based joint edge caching and content recommendation with inconsistent file sizes in fog-RANs

In this paper, the joint edge caching and content recommendation problem for the case of inconsistent file sizes is investigated for fog radio access networks (F-RANs). Firstly, we transform the joint caching and recommendation policy into a ‘single’ caching policy. Then, a time-varying personalized user request model is proposed to describe the fluctuant demands of users. To maximize the long-term net profit of each fog access point (F-AP), we formulate the caching optimization problem and resort to a reinforcement learning (RL) framework. To address the impact of file size inconsistency, a ‘pre-split’ mechanism with a dynamic upper limit is adopted to meet the constraint of storage capacity, and a ‘lazy’ updating mechanism is introduced into the training process. Finally, a double deep Q-network (DDQN) based distributed edge caching algorithm is proposed with content recommendation. Simulation results show that compared with the existing methods, the average net profit of our proposed algorithm can be increased up to 29.7% while content recommendation can not only increase caching efficiency but also accelerate convergence

From Traditional Adaptive Data Caching to Adaptive Context Caching: A Survey

Context data is in demand more than ever with the rapid increase in the development of many context-aware Internet of Things applications. Research in context and context-awareness is being conducted to broaden its applicability in light of many practical and technical challenges. One of the challenges is improving performance when responding to large number of context queries. Context Management Platforms that infer and deliver context to applications measure this problem using Quality of Service (QoS) parameters. Although caching is a proven way to improve QoS, transiency of context and features such as variability, heterogeneity of context queries pose an additional real-time cost management problem. This paper presents a critical survey of state-of-the-art in adaptive data caching with the objective of developing a body of knowledge in cost- and performance-efficient adaptive caching strategies. We comprehensively survey a large number of research publications and evaluate, compare, and contrast different techniques, policies, approaches, and schemes in adaptive caching. Our critical analysis is motivated by the focus on adaptively caching context as a core research problem. A formal definition for adaptive context caching is then proposed, followed by identified features and requirements of a well-designed, objective optimal adaptive context caching strategy.Comment: This paper is currently under review with ACM Computing Surveys Journal at this time of publishing in arxiv.or

CoPace:Edge Computation Offloading and Caching for Self-Driving with Deep Reinforcement Learning

Currently, self-driving, emerging as a key automatic application, has brought a huge potential for the provision of in-vehicle services (e.g., automatic path planning) to mitigate urban traffic congestion and enhance travel safety. To provide high-quality vehicular services with stringent delay constraints, edge computing (EC) enables resource-hungry self-driving vehicles (SDVs) to offload computation-intensive tasks to the edge servers (ESs). In addition, caching highly reusable contents decreases the redundant transmission time and improves the quality of services (QoS) of SDVs, which is envisioned as a supplement to the computation offloading. However, the high mobility and time-varying requests of SDVs make it challenging to provide reliable offloading decisions while guaranteeing the resource utilization of content caching. To this end, in this paper we propose a \underline{co}llaborative com\underline{p}utation offlo\underline{a}ding and \underline{c}ont\underline{e}nt caching method, named CoPace, by leveraging deep reinforcement learning (DRL) in EC for self-driving system. Specifically, we resort to a deep learning model to predict the future time-varying content popularity, taking into account the temporal-spatial attributes of requests. Moreover, a DRL-based algorithm is developed to jointly optimize the offloading and caching decisions, as well as the resource allocation (i.e., computing and communication resources) strategies. Extensive experiments with real-world datasets in Shanghai, China, are conducted to evaluate the performance, which demonstrates that CoPace is both effective and well-performed

A survey of online data-driven proactive 5G network optimisation using machine learning

In the fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks, proactive network optimisation plays an important role in meeting the exponential traffic growth, more stringent service requirements, and to reduce capitaland operational expenditure. Proactive network optimisation is widely acknowledged as on e of the most promising ways to transform the 5G network based on big data analysis and cloud-fog-edge computing, but there are many challenges. Proactive algorithms will require accurate forecasting of highly contextualised traffic demand and quantifying the uncertainty to drive decision making with performance guarantees. Context in Cyber-Physical-Social Systems (CPSS) is often challenging to uncover, unfolds over time, and even more difficult to quantify and integrate into decision making. The first part of the review focuses on mining and inferring CPSS context from heterogeneous data sources, such as online user-generated-content. It will examine the state-of-the-art methods currently employed to infer location, social behaviour, and traffic demand through a cloud-edge computing framework; combining them to form the input to proactive algorithms. The second part of the review focuses on exploiting and integrating the demand knowledge for a range of proactive optimisation techniques, including the key aspects of load balancing, mobile edge caching, and interference management. In both parts, appropriate state-of-the-art machine learning techniques (including probabilistic uncertainty cascades in proactive optimisation), complexity-performance trade-offs, and demonstrative examples are presented to inspire readers. This survey couples the potential of online big data analytics, cloud-edge computing, statistical machine learning, and proactive network optimisation in a common cross-layer wireless framework. The wider impact of this survey includes better cross-fertilising the academic fields of data analytics, mobile edge computing, AI, CPSS, and wireless communications, as well as informing the industry of the promising potentials in this area