THE LINUX FOUNDATION PROJECTS

Simple Edge Discovery

API Description
The “Simple Edge Discovery” API returns the name of the edge cloud zone that is closest to a given user device. “Closest” means the edge cloud zone with the shortest network path to the end user. This is an important consideration, because due to the way operator networks are routed, this may not be the same as calculating the geographically-nearest edge cloud zone to the end-user. If you have previously deployed an application server to the closest edge cloud zone, then connecting that device’s application client to it will usually result in the lowest latency and packet loss – and improved end user experience. If you don’t have an application server running there, you can decide whether to deploy an application server there using the APIs of the edge cloud provider named in the response.

Note that Simple Edge Discovery only considers the shortest network path – whereas the more sophisticated Optimal Edge Discovery API includes extra factors in calculating the best edge cloud zone, including the application profile, compute capacity and capability at different edge cloud zones.

Use Cases
  • Use shortest Network Path: Network operators deploy edge computing zones in their networks to bring content and compute closer to user’s connected devices. This can reduce latency, jitter and loss; and can ensure data communication stays within a given territory. The Simple Edge Discovery API returns the name of the edge cloud zone with the shortest network path to a given end user device. You can use this information to connect the user device to an application server you already have running on this edge cloud zone or spin up an application server there if required (using the edge cloud provider’s APIs).

See also at GSMA:

Benefits
  • Fulfill Network Performance Demands: Applications that have strict network performance demands can benefit from deploying servers at the network edge, as can applications that wish to prevent their data from being routed on the public Internet.
  • Operational efficiency: For the API customer (cost savings) is also benefit.

API Portfolio: Computing Services

Sub Project Wiki: Edge Cloud
(incl. how to meet the team)

API Wiki: Simple Edge Discovery

API Repository: Simple Edge Discovery

API Repository Status: Incubating

API Status: Stable

API Version(s) and Release Date(s):

  • v1.0.0 (11.09.2024), Fall24 meta-release
  • v2.0.0 (17.09.2025), Fall25 meta-release

API availability: Information which APIs are available in which country and network, and how to get access can be found on the GSMA public launch status page.

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