Proactive content caching in edge computing environment: A review

• Published in: Software, practice & experience Vol. 53; no. 3; pp. 811 - 855
• Main Authors: Aghazadeh, Rafat, Shahidinejad, Ali, Ghobaei‐Arani, Mostafa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.03.2023; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Caching; Data centers; edge caching; Edge computing; heuristic‐based; Literature reviews; Machine learning; Management methods; model‐based; Performance measurement; proactive caching; Response time; systematic review
• ISSN: 0038-0644; 1097-024X
• DOI: 10.1002/spe.3033

Edge computing environment provides processing capability and computing at the network edge and close to users. Edge equipment includes small data centers that locally perform process and content delivery. Therefore, edge equipment management has received much attention due to the rapid growth of information and resources limitations. The content caching and proactive caching techniques are management methods of edge equipment resources. We recently witnessed the development of proactive caching mechanisms that have a crucial enabler in improving heavy traffic, energy, and bandwidth. Also, it has huge potential to increase the quick response time to users' requests that today, these services are demanded by many users and applications. This article prepares a systematic literature review content caching approach in the edge computing environment. The purpose of this study is to survey the research done on the proactive caching strategies in the edge computing environment to identify subjects that must be emphasized more in current and future research paths. This research has studied 71 articles divided into three classes: model‐based, machine‐learning‐based, and heuristic‐based. Next, we discuss content caching approaches based on critical factors such as performance metrics, case studies, utilized techniques, assessment tools, advantages, and disadvantages. Finally, open issues and challenges are presented, and the survey is concluded.