NimbleNet: Serverless Computing for the Extreme Edge in Factory Environments

What is it about?

We present NimbleNet, a lightweight distribution and orchestration approach for serverless functions, specifically tailored for IoT devices in industrial factory settings. NimbleNet leverages lightweight sandboxing such as WebAssembly, dynamic dependency management, and a neighbor-first caching strategy to enable efficient, platform-independent deployment of tasks at the extreme edge. Our simulations and real-world evaluations demonstrate that our approach facilitates the dynamic deployment and execution of tasks on resource-constrained devices while optimizing the network load within a mesh network configuration.

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Photo by Chris Ried on Unsplash

Photo by Chris Ried on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Our work shows the benefits of truly platform-independent serverless computing directly on heterogeneous and resource-constrained IoT devices in modular, rapidly changing factory environments. By dynamically managing dependencies and leveraging nearest-neighbor caching, it reduces network congestion and ensures low latency and responsive operations even in complex mesh networks. As a result, it supports the growing need for adaptable, on-demand manufacturing processes and enhances productivity, flexibility, and scalability across the industrial edge.