A Review on Beyond-5G (B5G)-Aware Networks: Sustainable Solutions, Opportunities, and Challenges in Cloud/Edge/Fog (CEF) Ecosystem

The inherent limitations of existing 5G networks have catalyzed the evolution of Beyond-5G (B5G) technologies to address the growing demands of intelligent and data-intensive applications across diverse sectors. Concurrently, global environmental and climatic challenges have amplified the urgency for sustainable technological solutions. Such solutions are critical for reshaping the development trajectory of highly digitized and industrialized societies, particularly in addressing pressing issues related to energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. These concerns are further intensified by the challenges associated with recycling and managing the increasing volumes of electronic equipment and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Consequently, there is a compelling need to design and implement sustainable solutions tailored to B5G-enabled applications in order to mitigate anticipated future challenges. These sustainability driven solutions are expected to accommodate the evolving service requirements of heterogeneous computing paradigms, including cloud, edge, and fog computing environments. Achieving this objective necessitates the seamless integration of communication, computing, and caching functionalities, commonly referred to as 3C convergence. This integration presents significant opportunities for innovation across application domains such as industrial systems, healthcare, education, and intelligent transportation. The advanced capabilities inherent in B5G technologies are poised to substantially enhance the efficiency, scalability, and responsiveness of Cloud/ Edge/Fog (CEF) networks, thereby enabling improved service delivery. In this context, the present work aims to provide a comprehensive review of existing research and literature on B5G-aware CEF networks. It systematically examines the associated opportunities and challenges while exploring potential pathways for the effective integration and deployment of these advanced network architectures across a wide range of application domains.