Obj #1 Achieve autonomicity in orchestrating network, compute, and storage resources in hybrid edge/cloud infrastructures

The edge resource pool is expected to present volatile QoS guarantees. CHARITY will employ the public cloud as a capacitor/stabilizer, creating a dynamic compute continuum that supports the applications. To infuse high availability and performance guarantees, CHARITY will have to develop a high-level compute and network orchestrator that will support self-managed and self-optimized operations. Such orchestrator will achieve optimizations at various levels but with an emphasis on availability, performance, and privacy.

Obj #2 Provide holistic support for the orchestration of advanced media solutions

The advanced media solutions that CHARITY aspires to support, require the support and employment of:

• Wide range of end devices such as multi-core CPUs, GPUs and FPGAs.
• Novel technologies that will leverage the CHARITY infrastructure and capabilities to support the application with an emphasis on adaptive point cloud (de-)compression.
• Intelligent storage capabilities that will adapt to application needs and infrastructure capacity.

Obj #3 End-to-end application lifecycle management

Having multiple edge zones supported by CHARITY, with variable capabilities, may create a hassle in the application developers’ efforts to seamlessly deploy their applications at multiple sites. Opportunities may also arise from the intelligent combination of multiple edge computing framework instances. CHARITY will work on providing a network slice blueprint that targets highly collaborative and interactive services.

Obj #4 Develop highly interactive and collaborative services and applications

The project will implement novel applications that will radicalise the means of human communication. It will implement proof of concept use cases to showcase the feasibility and viability of the CHARITY approach. This endeavour will require the complete rethinking and redesigning of applications such as:

• Real-time Holographic application.
• Immersive virtual training.
• Mixed Reality interactive application.
• Novel VNFs will leverage the adaptive, hybrid edge/cloud environment and support the launch of novel applications.

Obj #5 Augment project visibility, outreach and business sustainability

To ensure a sustainable capitalization on the project outcomes and, on the other hand, to guide the project work towards meaningful results, CHARITY will: employ the consortium’s diverse network to communicate the project activities and plans and start building a community around it; employ the scientific nature of the consortium to disseminate technological innovation; work on exploitation opportunities catering for the viability of the approach once the project is over; liaise with sibling research projects and get involved with standards’ activities to establish a baseline of technologies and accelerate innovation.