The Hidden Cost of the Edge: A Performance Comparison of Edge and Cloud Latencies

Authors: Ahmed Ali-Eldin (Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden; University of Massachusetts, Amherst) and Bin Wang and Prashant Shenoy (University of Massachusetts, Amherst)

Abstract: Edge computing has emerged as a popular paradigm due to its ability to offer lower network latencies to end-users. In this paper, we argue that despite its lower network latency, the resource-constrained nature of the edge can result in higher end-to-end latency, especially at higher utilizations, compared to cloud data centers. We study this edge performance inversion problem through an analytic comparison of edge and cloud latencies and analyze conditions under which the edge can yield worse performance than the cloud. For verification we conduct experimental comparisons of the edge and the cloud latencies using a realistic application and real cloud workloads. Our results show that the edge queuing delays can offset the benefits of lower network latencies, and even result in performance inversion. We finally discuss practical implications of our results and provide insights into how application designers/service providers should design edge applications and systems to avoid these pitfalls.




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