Comparing Different Persistent Storage Approaches for Containerized Stateful Applications

Abstract

Cyber-physical systems are highly distributed, flexible, and closely connected to the physical world. State preservation is an essential aspect of operating cyber-physical systems. If stateful applications fail, the current state needs to be restored so that the system can operate again. With the entry of edge computing, applications can now be containerized close to the equipment and allow new use cases. The lack of persistent storage in containers to ensure statefulness requires external, centralized, or distributed solutions. This paper explores this spectrum by comparing three experimental implementations and indicates possible causes for state loss. The underlying aim is to provide a starting point for choosing which state preservation approach is most suitable for which application type. The paper concludes with future research steps.