# Integrating Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) into Open 5G Core
## 1 Introduction
When implementing MEC in mobile networks, hosts are positioned at the network edge (near the 4G or 5G radio access network), supporting MEC applications and utilizing APIs such as the Radio Network Information (RNI) and location APIs. Other APIs are exposed following RESTful design principles, ensuring the interoperability and portability of MEC applications across different domains [11]. This work is based on the advantages of utilizing MEC in the network. These advantages, especially the significant reduction of duplicated content transmissions in backhaul links, enhance Quality of Service (QoS), leading to reduced latency and computational load [9, 18, 19]. The utilization of mobile data networks is witnessing a global surge. In Brazil, for instance, as per the National Telecommunications Agency (ANATEL), there has been a rise in mobile broadband access, escalating from 211.8 million to 213.7 million within a mere month [20]. It is anticipated that, by 2026, 54% of mobile data traffic will be facilitated through 5G networks, prompting operators to pursue enhancements to cater to this burgeoning demand, both for users and infrastructure [21]. Accordingly, the integration of 5G networks and MEC frameworks benefits both the academic community and the development of new technologies, such as autonomous vehicles, applications for smart cities, healthcare, and the augmented/virtual reality market, as well as the overall market. Amazon found in its research that every 100 ms of latency on its websites cost 1% of its sales, while Google concluded that an additional 0.5 s in the search page loading time resulted in a 20% reduction in user traffic [22]. It is anticipated that certain use cases within 5G networks will become reliant on MEC concepts and frameworks for the provisioningof services to end users [23]. Examples encompass autonomous vehicles, smart cities, healthcare, and the Internet of Things (IoT), all of which exhibit latency sensitivity and stand to derive substantial gains from the adoption of MEC principles in their deployment. These instances, for instance, manifest within the realm of Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) services [24]. To achieve the objectives of this work, we began by exploring the specifics of MEC and 5G technology. We analyzed the software components in their architecture, understanding their goals and characteristics. The chosen network core was free5 GC (open-source project for 5G core) due to its open-source code, compliance with 3 GPP standards, and active community. The selection was reinforced by the use of my5G-core (a 5G standalone core following the 3 GPP standards) [17, 25] which is a fork of free5 GC. Research was conducted to identify MEC platforms that would meet the objectives of this study. However, the lack of documentation and support led to the simulation of an MEC platform using a Kubernetes cluster. The proposed service was developed based on standards and adherence to the objectives of the Multi-Access Traffic Steering (MTS) API. Additionally, a Service Registry (SR) was created to compose the validation environment, along with a test application. Validation was divided into three parts. First, the individual functioning of free5 GC, the Kubernetes cluster, and the implemented applications/services were validated. Subsequently, the registration of applications/services in the SR was validated. Finally, the third and last part consisted of validating the proposed service and collecting and evaluating the results. More details about the evaluation environment and all source code are publicly available in the GitHub repository ([[https://github.com/LABORA-INF-UFG/5g-mec-integration](https://github.com/LABORA-INF-UFG/5g-mec-integration)]([https://github.com/LABORA-INF-UFG/5g-mec-integration](https://github.com/LABORA-INF-UFG/5g-mec-integration)), accessed on 25 April 2024). The contributions of this work are as follows:  
* Integration between MEC and 5 GC: This study demonstrates the feasibility of integrating 5G and MEC through a communication API.