Exploring the Viability of Unikernels for ARM-powered Edge Computing

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the performance of unikernels versus Docker containers on ARM edge devices, demonstrating unikernels' potential for faster startup and lower resource use in real-world applications.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive performance comparison of unikernel systems like OSv, Nanos, and Unikraft against Docker on ARM edge hardware.

Findings

Unikernels have faster boot times than Docker.

Unikernels consume less memory and CPU resources.

Some areas require further optimization for edge deployment.

Abstract

The rapid expansion of IoT devices and their real-time applications have driven a growing need for edge computing. To meet this need, efficient and secure solutions are required for running such applications on resource-constrained devices with limited power, CPU, and memory. Unikernel, with its minimalistic design and application-specific approach, offers a promising alternative to traditional virtualization and container technologies in these environments. The existing research does not thoroughly examine the feasibility of using unikernel for edge computing. This paper investigates the potential of unikernel for ARM-powered edge computing by evaluating the performance and efficiency of three prominent unikernel systems such as OSv, Nanos, and Unikraft against Docker container. We experiment with real-world edge computing applications and utilize key metrics such as boot time, execution time, memory usage, CPU overhead, and network performance to determine how unikernel performs under the constraints of edge devices. Our findings reveal the potential advantages of unikernel in terms of reduced resource consumption and faster startup times while highlighting areas where they may need further optimization for edge deployment. This study provides valuable insights for researchers and practitioners considering unikernel as a lightweight, efficient solution for edge computing on ARM architectures.