Concept & Methodology
Overall Concept
The COGNIFOG project aims to build an open and modular framework for next-generation information systems that spans from the IoT devices, the edge and to the cloud. It will provide a secure Cognitive-Fog environment with dynamic resources and services orchestration capabilities, real-time scalable monitoring, and AI-based analytical services to ensure adaptability, dependability, scalability, and energy efficiency.
COGNIFOG Methodology
The Cognitive-Fog concept enables the IoT-to-edge-to-cloud continuum and includes interoperability facilities to connect IoT devices to the continuum and communicate with other edge-side components. It will also help to orchestrate resources in the cloud to provide safe and secure end-to-end services. The COGNIFOG framework is composed of the following five layers:
01
Application, hardware and dataflow layer that specifies the application functionalities, the hardware specifications and the necessary APIs;
02
Connectivity and interoperability layer that deploys the middleware, communication protocols and data interchange format and semantics;
03
Orchestration layer with self-adapting capabilities that allows the resources management all along the continuum;
04
Data Management layer that includes the different tools for the data filtering, aggregation, storing as well as the tools of the knowledge extraction from simple analysis tool to big data and AI/ML tools;
05
Safety and security orchestration layer that includes tools for cybersecurity and safety along the continuum.
Figure 1: COGNIFOG overall concept
In each layer, there are different functional building blocks that comprise the COGNIFOG toolbox (see Figure 1). A methodology will accompany the toolbox to specify the application as well as the needed building blocks along the continuum according to the application needs. The Cognitive-Fog will be built in a flexible way with the outputs of:
01
The COGNIFOG toolbox comprising of decoupled building blocks;
02
The COGNIFOG methodology based on different formal and semi-formal methods to capture applications needs and to specify in an abstract way the Cognitive-Fog;
03
The deployed Cognitive-Fog.
COGNIFOG is composed of leading academic and industrial institutions with great experience, know-how and technology to build the Cognitive-Fog framework composed of valuable assets. The overall framework enabling access to the tools provided by the technological providers at each defined layer is illustrated in Figure 2.
Figure 2: COGNIFOG framework with technology providers building blocks