An apparatus, comprising: an loT support service , including at least one memory adapted to store run-time data for the device, and at least one processor that is adapted to execute processor-executable code that, in response to execution, enables the loT support service to perform actions, the actions including: storing a plurality of module twins that respectively correspond to a plurality of modules of edge applications on a plurality of edge devices , wherein the plurality of module twins individually include metadata associated with the corresponding module of the plurality of modules, and wherein the edge devices of the plurality of edge devices have hierarchical categorizations by which the plurality of edge devices are organized according to at least one hierarchical category, wherein at least one hierarchical category of the at least one hierarchical category of the plurality of edge devices includes at least one of a hierarchy of functionality or a hierarchy of edge device type, and wherein the at least one hierarchical category, including at least one of a hierarchy of functionality or a hierarchy of edge device type, is subdivided further based on hierarchical categories of gathered data; executing a plurality of cloud services that perform one or more functions in the loT support service, such that the cloud services of the plurality of cloud services are configured to communicate with the modules of the plurality of modules; determining at least one cloud service of the plurality of cloud services to be executed as a further module on at least one edge device of the plurality of edge devices based, at least in part, on the hierarchical categorization of the at least one edge device of the plurality of edge devices; causing the further module to be deployed to the at least one edge device of the plurality of edge devices; and ceasing execution of the determined at least one cloud service. storing a plurality of module twins that respectively correspond to a plurality of modules of edge applications on a plurality of edge devices , wherein the plurality of module twins individually include metadata associated with the corresponding module of the plurality of modules, and wherein the edge devices of the plurality of edge devices have hierarchical categorizations by which the plurality of edge devices are organized according to at least one hierarchical category, wherein at least one hierarchical category of the at least one hierarchical category of the plurality of edge devices includes at least one of a hierarchy of functionality or a hierarchy of edge device type, and wherein the at least one hierarchical category, including at least one of a hierarchy of functionality or a hierarchy of edge device type, is subdivided further based on hierarchical categories of gathered data; executing a plurality of cloud services that perform one or more functions in the loT support service, such that the cloud services of the plurality of cloud services are configured to communicate with the modules of the plurality of modules; determining at least one cloud service of the plurality of cloud services to be executed as a further module on at least one edge device of the plurality of edge devices based, at least in part, on the hierarchical categorization of the at least one edge device of the plurality of edge devices; causing the further module to be deployed to the at least one edge device of the plurality of edge devices; and ceasing execution of the determined at least one cloud service. <EOS>