Three-Phase Handover Protocol Design for Multi-Access Edge Computing

Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) plays a crucial role in reducing latency and enhancing the Quality of Experience by bringing cloud services to the network edge. One of the primary challenges within MEC is ensuring seamless handovers between servers, specifically during end-user mobility, without disrupting active sessions. To address this challenge, we propose the Server Search and Select Algorithm Protocol (SSSAP), a standardized protocol designed to manage handovers across heterogeneous MEC networks. SSSAP leverages the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) to guarantee low latency and fast transmission. It gives a structured approach for handover decision-making, utilizing real-time network metrics to enhance session continuity, inspired by the architecture of Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). By establishing a scalable framework for seamless inter-operability in MEC environments, SSSAP ensures uninterrupted service delivery, reduces handover latency, and improves network performance. SSSAP is particularly relevant as MEC evolves to support next-generation technologies.