5G Multi-Access Edge Computing: A Survey on Security, Dependability, and Performance

Abstract

The Fifth Generation (5G) of mobile networks offers new and advanced services with stricter requirements. Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) is a key technology that enables these new services by deploying multiple devices with computing and storage capabilities at the edge of the network, close to end-users. MEC enhances network efficiency by reducing latency, enabling real-time awareness of the local environment, allowing cloud offloading, and reducing traffic congestion. New mission-critical applications require high security and dependability, which are rarely addressed alongside performance. This survey paper fills this gap by presenting 5G MEC’s three aspects: security, dependability, and performance. The paper provides an overview of MEC, introduces taxonomy, state-of-the-art, and challenges related to each aspect. Finally, the paper presents the challenges of jointly addressing these three aspects.