Edge cloud systems form the basis of many industries’ innovative, intelligent services. They address key challenges faced by modern software systems, such as data protection and efficient resource management, by combining software and hardware components along the edge cloud continuum. A new guidance document summarizes the results of the evaluation of edge cloud systems.

Edge cloud systems (ECS) form the basis of many intelligent and innovative services across a variety of industries. Combining the advantages of edge and cloud technology, they process data where it is generated in a secure, quick, and resource-efficient manner. In doing so, they play a key role in ensuring data protection, improving energy efficiency, and promoting sustainable digitalization.

As edge cloud systems can be structured in many different ways, suitable evaluation methods are required to demonstrate their actual performance and sustainability. A new guide for evaluating edge cloud systems has been developed to address this need. It summarizes the findings from several research projects and highlights practical ways in which organizations can systematically evaluate their systems.

A practical evaluation model

A task force comprising seven research projects from the German technology program “Edge Data Economy” — including Salzburg Research with its EASY project — has jointly developed a model for the comparable evaluation of edge cloud systems.

The guidance presents a process model showing how organizations can define goals, select appropriate metrics, and evaluate results in a structured way. This model is based on the Green Software Measurement Model (GSMM), which was originally developed to evaluate the energy and resource efficiency of software development processes.

This model allows for a comprehensive evaluation of technical, organizational, and environmental factors, including energy efficiency, data protection, resilience, scalability, and costs. It therefore helps companies and research institutions to design sustainable and efficient digital infrastructures.

Recommendations for business and politics

The task force has formulated specific recommendations to enable organizations to systematically evaluate edge cloud systems in the long term:

• Developing internal expertise in evaluating digital infrastructures
• Establishment of common standards and transparent metrics
• Promotion of exchange platforms between industry and the research sector
• Low-threshold entry options for companies that want to take the first steps towards assessment

An accurate assessment of ECS is a strategic as well as technical task: it establishes the basis for sustainable, reliable, and competitive digital innovations.

Contribution by Salzburg Research

Salzburg Research played a central role in developing and testing the EASY project’s evaluation model in practice. In particular, the institute focused on evaluating the networks and connection quality of edge cloud systems, as well as their applicability in industrial scenarios.

Experience gained from research into distributed systems was directly incorporated into further development of the evaluation approach.

Project EASY: Energy-efficient edge cloud manufacturing

The EASY project (Energy-efficient analysis and control processes in the dynamic edge cloud continuum) is developing an edge cloud system for industrial manufacturing. This system will enable AI-based analysis and control processes to be distributed and executed locally wherever possible, significantly increasing the productivity and resource efficiency of the entire manufacturing process. Salzburg Research is contributing to the analysis and prediction of connection quality between edge and cloud nodes and to anomaly detection in industrial communication networks. This will enable the dynamic placement of services to be optimized.

Background

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) commissioned the guidance as part of the accompanying research for the “Edge Data Economy” technology program. Seven research projects were involved: EASY, EDNA, ESCOM, DEER, SECAI, ECO:DIGIT, and GEMIMEG-II.

Together, they developed a consistent approach to evaluating edge cloud systems, covering everything from data collection to cloud integration. This provides a foundation for designing transparent, sustainable, and future-proof digital infrastructures.

More information:

• Project: EASY – Energy-efficient analysis and control processes in the dynamic edge-cloud continuum for industrial manufacturing
• Publication: Bewertung von Edge-Cloud-Systemen