Fog computing - the concept of bringing cloud computing technology to the edge of a network and thereby reducing the distance data must travel - is becoming more prevalent thanks to real-time and Internet of Things (IoT)-based applications that must function with very little latency.

The establishment of the OpenFog Consortium in 2015 represented the collective efforts of academic institutions and tech companies around the world to come together and promote fog computing and establish standards for its use.

Recently, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) an organization that works to advance innovation and technology for humanity's benefit, adopted a fog-computing standard created by OpenFog. More specifically, the IEEE has a branch devoted to developing global standards.

It's called the IEEE Standards Association, or IEEE-SA. The IEEE-SA decided to move forward with OpenFog's framework.

What Does This Advancement Mean?

The next question on your mind might understandably be related to how the standard could further fog computing and the technologies that depend on it. The standard's official name is IEEE 1934, and it's believed that it could enhance compatibility and interoperability through consistent protocols fit for universal adoption. As a result, product development strategies become more straightforward and the overall time to market goes down.

The efficiency aspect is particularly important for technologies associated with the IoT and other quickly evolving cloud technologies. When companies can rely on the IEEE 1934 while developing products that use fog computing, they'll be better able to remain competitive in ever-challenging and crowded marketplaces.

What Does The Standard Address?

A working group became dedicated to laying the groundwork for IEEE 1934 in October 2017. The outcome features several principles associated with fog computing and the minimum requirements for falling under the standard's umbrella. They are security, scalability, agility, openness, autonomy, RAS (reliability, availability, and serviceability), hierarchy and programmability.

If a system encompasses those things, it earns the distinction of being within the OpenFog framework.

Learn More About The Standard

People who are interested in getting more details about IEEE 1934 can get them by attending the 2018 Fog World Congress. It takes place from October 1-3 in San Francisco, California. The new IEEE standard for fog computing will be a featured topic at the gathering, giving attendees opportunities to deepen their understandings about it in the presence of peers.

Fog Computing Is Increasingly in Demand

Besides the IoT, technologies ranging from 5G networks to artificial intelligence also often require fog computing for optimal functionality. This successful completion of a standard facilitates progress in those areas by paving the way for industrial-grade fog computing applications and services.

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