An Emulation Toolkit for Edge-to-Cloud Continuum

iContinuum is an emulation toolkit designed to enable intent-based edge-to-cloud computing testing and experimentation. The toolkit consists of multiple layers, each comprising a set of components spanning from infrastructure to applications. By leveraging Software-Defined Networking (SDN), iContinuum decouples the data plane from the control plane, allowing the network controller to efficiently regulate network flows. Additionally, containerization and orchestration technologies are employed to effectively manage the deployment and operation of applications across the compute continuum.

The rise of IoT has increased the need for scalable storage and processing, leading to the compute continuum, which integrates edge and cloud resources. However, testing applications in such environments is challenging due to complex networks, resource heterogeneity, and high costs associated with real-world experimentation. While simulation toolkits help, they often lack accuracy, particularly in modeling dynamic network interactions. Emulation, which more closely mimics real-world conditions, provides a more reliable alternative but is often limited to specific functions. Intent-based emulation offers a better approach by focusing on high-level objectives rather than low-level configurations, enhancing automation, flexibility, and adaptability in edge-to-cloud environments. This makes an advanced emulation toolkit essential for efficient and scalable testing of modern applications.