LF Edge adds IoT device security project, looks to align efforts with OpenStack

LF Edge representatives said that it is early on, but that the two groups are working on harmonizing efforts where there is overlap between open source projects related to edge computing.

Securing devices on the edge

Industries are trying to come to terms with IoT security issues. Apart from trying to avoid disastrous ransomware attacks that have crippled companies, there’s the growing issue of government regulation to contend with.

Secure Device Onboard (SDO), which joins LF Edge as a Stage 1 project, is an automated zero-touch service used to automatically onboard and provision a device on edge hardware. LF Edge representatives noted that these devices can be drop-shipped to the installation site, connected to the network and powered up. SDO connects and provisions a device automatically. This zero-touch model simplifies the installer’s role, reduces costs and eliminates poor security practices, such as shipping default passwords, according to project representatives.

The project comes by way of Intel, which released version 1.7 of its software as open-source in February 2020 after existing for almost three years as a standalone Intel product. Because the associated protocol and architecture requires adoption across an entire ecosystem of manufacturers, distributors, and customers, Intel decided to open source the technology to foster broader adoption.

A more granular look at the device edge

One of the original open-source contributions emanating from the State of the Edge project was the Open Glossary of Edge computing. A version 2.0 released in late 2019 follows up on the 2018 release with the goal of providing a shared, vendor-neutral vocabulary for edge computing to aid communication and accelerate innovation within the field.

LF Edge has released a new white paper in collaboration with the Open Glossary project to align ecosystem terminology.  The LF Community white paper, entitled “Sharpening the Edge: Overview of the LF Edge Taxonomy and Framework” goes over some familiar ground with the key concepts of edge computing, but provides a more granular view of the types of devices at the “user edge,” that lies beyond the network link from the last mile network.

(Figure 1: Summary of edge continuum)
Source: LF Edge

The addition of “constrained device,” “smart device edge,” and “on-premise data center edge” to the Open Glossary should provide some additional clarity for vendors and customers looking to understand what are some of the differences between the types of edge devices that have traditionally been owned primarily by the end-user.

Article Topics

edge device  |  Intel  |  LF Edge  |  open source  |  OpenStack  |  security  |  StarlingX  |  Super Micro