Edge computing system

A method of traffic reduction in a mesh computing system operably coupled to a central registry holding images, the mesh computing system comprising hosts located on edge nodes of the mesh computing system and configured to create containers from the images, the method comprising, at a first host located at a first edge node of the mesh computing system:

• receiving a request from a client for an image;
• sending a request for the image to at least one other host of the mesh computing system;
• and
• when the first host receives notification that at least a second host holds the image, the first host performs:
• downloading the image from the second host to the first host;
• calculating a first value of a cost metric, for a first route over which the image could be downloaded to the first host;
• and
• calculating a second value of the cost metric, for a second route over which the image could be downloaded to the first host;
• comparing the first value of the cost metric and the second value of the cost metric, to identify the lower of the first value of the cost metric and the second value of the cost metric;
• when the first host does not receive notification that at least a second host holds the image, the first host performs downloading the image from the central registry to the first host;
• and
• creating a container from the image.

A node of a mesh computing system operably coupled to a central registry holding images, the node comprising a registry agent and a host comprising a local registry comprising an Application Programming Interface, API, wherein the host is configured to:

• receive a request from a client for an image;
• send a request for the image to at least one other host of the mesh computing system (400);
• download the image from a second host, when the host receives notification that at least the second host holds the image;
• when the host does not receive notification that at least the second host holds the image, the host:
• issues a request to the central registry for the image;
• downloads the image from the central registry located outside the mesh computing system;
• and wherein the API of the local registry is configured to:
• intercept and stop the request to the central registry for the image;
• and
• download the image from the second host, and store the image in a repository of the host;
• and
• create a container from the image.

A node of a mesh computing system operably coupled to a central registry holding images, the mesh computing system comprising hosts located on edge nodes of the mesh computing system and configured to create containers from the images, the node comprising a registry agent and a host comprising a local registry comprising an Application Programming Interface, API, wherein the host is configured to:

• receive a request from a client for an image;
• send a request for the image to at least one other host of the mesh computing system;
• and when the host receives notification that at least a second host holds the image, the host is configured to:
• download the image from the second host;
• calculate a first value of a cost metric, for a first route over which the image could be downloaded to the host;
• and
• calculate a second value of the cost metric, for a second route over which the image could be downloaded to the host;
• compare the first value of the cost metric and the second value of the cost metric, to identify the lower of the first value of the cost metric and the second value of the cost metric;
• when the host does not receive notification that at least a second host holds the image, the host downloads the image from the central registry;
• and creates a container from the image.