RT info:eu-repo/semantics/conferenceObject T1 MEC in the 5G Era: Enhancing Reliability Through Backup Strategies and Technology Integration A1 Masoumi Estahbanati, Maryam A1 Brasca, Fabrizio A1 Bonfaci, Emanuele A1 Rizzi, Gianluca A1 Miguel Jiménez, Ignacio de A1 Durán Barroso, Ramón José K1 MEC K1 SDN K1 NFV K1 VNF K1 Softwarization K1 Reliability AB Understanding the unique features of Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) in the context of 5G is key, as they enable applications such as real-time analytics. This paper explores the integration of 5 G technologies with MEC and the challenges in deploying and maintaining MEC infrastructure, recognizing the impact on network reliability. In particular, the paper considers potential failures in MEC and their broader consequences on overall network reliability, proposing the strategic use of backup resources as a proactive solution to fortify MEC resilience. MEC, evolving as an ecosystem to integrate telecommunication and IT services, establishes a cloud computing platform at the edge of the radio access network (RAN), enhancing storage and computational capabilities with reduced latency for mobile end-users. The analysis covers key technologies enabling MEC integration with 5G, including software-defined networking (SDN), network function virtualization (NFV), and network slicing. The deployment of Network Services (NS) through virtual network functions (VNFs) is explored for latency-sensitive communication services, acknowledging the vulnerability of softwarized and cloud services to failures. Reliability emerges as a major challenge in MEC 5G networks, prompting the proposal of redundancy (backup) as a solution to enhance communication service reliability, setting the stage for further research considerations in MEC reliability. PB IEEE SN 979-8-3503-7732-3 YR 2024 FD 2024 LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/76168 UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/76168 LA eng NO 2024 24th International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks (ICTON), Bari, Italy, 2024, pp. 1-4 NO Producción Científica DS UVaDOC RD 05-jul-2025