Fog Computing: A Systematic Review of Architecture, IoT Integration, Algorithms and Research Challenges with Insights into Cloud Computing Integration

With the continuous evolution of technology, the prevalence of the Internet of Things (IoT) has grown significantly. However, with this rise comes a number of challenges for integrated Cloud Computing (CC), including security, performance, latency, and network issues. Fortunately, Fog Computing is a solution that addresses these concerns by bringing CC closer to IoT devices. Essentially, fog serves as a data hub that processes and stores information locally on the fog node, rather than sending it to a cloud server. This results in faster response times and higher- quality services compared to those offered by traditional cloud servers. Fog Computing can optimize service delivery for multiple IoT clients by allowing the administration of services and resource provisioning outside of CC, nearer to devices, or at specific locations for Service Level Agreements (SLAs). It’s important to note that Fog Computing is not intended to replace CC, but rather to complement it as a critical component. In this paper, we explore various computing paradigms, examine the features and architecture of Fog Computing, analyze its relationship with IoT, and assess different algorithms used in Fog Computing systems. Furthermore, we tackle the distinctive challenges that emerge with Fog Computing as an intermediate layer between IoT sensors/devices and data centers.