Add OptimalEdgeDiscovery enhancement proposal: pre-deployment viability discovery

documentation/OED-predeployment-viability-enhancement.md

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+# API Scope Enhancement Template
+
+## API name
+
+Optimal Edge Discovery (OED)
+[https://github.com/camaraproject/OptimalEdgeDiscovery](https://github.com/camaraproject/OptimalEdgeDiscovery)
+
+## New API name
+
+N/A (scope extension of OED)
+
+## Scope Enhancement owner
+
+University of Patras
+
+## Scope Enhancement summary
+
+This proposal explores extending Optimal Edge Discovery (OED) to support **pre-deployment viability discovery**, in addition to its current runtime optimization capabilities.
+
+Today, OED focuses on selecting the optimal edge zone for an active device or session context. This enhancement introduces support for **deployment planning queries**, where no active device is present and the goal is to determine which edge options are viable in a target area given an application profile and constraints.
+
+### Example use cases
+
+* A cloud gaming provider evaluates whether a service can be launched in a specific geographic area based on latency constraints.
+* An application provider compares multiple regions/operators to identify viable rollout locations before deployment.
+* An aggregator platform provides developers with a unified interface to assess edge availability across multiple operators.
+
+---
+
+## Delimitation versus existing APIs
+
+| API                      | Decision supported                | Timing                  | Input context                                   | Output                                            |
+| ------------------------ | --------------------------------- | ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
+| **OED**                  | Best edge selection               | Runtime / near-runtime  | Active device / session                         | Single optimal edge zone                          |
+| **AED**                  | Application connectivity          | Runtime                 | Deployed application                            | Endpoint information                              |
+| **EAM**                  | Deployment & lifecycle            | Deployment / operations | Application package                             | Deployment actions                                |
+| **Proposed enhancement** | Deployment feasibility (go/no-go) | Pre-deployment          | Target area + application profile + constraints | Set of viable edge options with estimated metrics |
+
+**Key distinction:**
+OED answers *“what is the best edge now?”*
+This enhancement answers *“is deployment feasible here at all?”*
+
+---
+
+## Technical viability
+
+The enhancement relies on capabilities already aligned with current CAMARA and 3GPP architectures:
+
+* Exposure of network performance characteristics (e.g. latency estimates) through operator APIs (e.g. NEF-based exposure)
+* Edge/cloud infrastructure awareness (edge zones, providers)
+* Application profile–based constraint evaluation (already part of OED context)
+
+No fundamentally new network capabilities are required. The proposal extends the discovery model from **runtime target selection** to **pre-deployment feasibility evaluation**, reusing:
+
+* performance estimation mechanisms already used for edge discovery
+* application profile constraints already present in OED
+* operator or platform knowledge of edge zone capabilities
+
+Standards alignment:
+
+* 3GPP NEF (Rel-15+) for network exposure
+* ETSI MEC / edge platform exposure models (where applicable)
+* CAMARA Commonalities for geographic/context modeling
+
+---
+
+## Minimal API contract sketch
+
+### Operation
+
+`POST /edge-discovery/viability`
+
+### Inputs
+
+* `targetArea`: geographic area identifier (e.g. region, city)
+* `applicationProfile`: application requirements or reference profile
+* `constraints`: mandatory requirements (e.g. max latency p95)
+* `preferences` (optional): preferred providers or deployment hints
+
+### Outputs
+
+* `edgeOptions`: list of candidate edge zones
+* `viability`: whether the candidate satisfies all mandatory constraints
+* `estimatedMetrics`: planning-oriented metrics (e.g. latency p95, latency range)
+* `providerInfo`: developer-facing provider/operator identifiers
+
+### Meaning of “viable”
+
+A candidate is considered **viable** if all mandatory constraints defined in the request are satisfied based on available performance estimates.
+
+### Metric characteristics
+
+Returned metrics are:
+
+* **estimated**, not guaranteed
+* intended for **planning decisions**, not runtime routing
+
+---
+
+## Commercial viability
+
+The required capabilities are already supported or emerging in commercial and pre-commercial platforms:
+
+* Operator exposure platforms (e.g. NEF-based APIs)
+* Edge computing platforms from hyperscalers and telecom vendors
+* Aggregation platforms aligned with GSMA Open Gateway (e.g. Aduna-type models)
+
+These platforms already expose or internally use:
+
+* edge location information
+* performance estimation
+* application-aware routing or placement logic
+
+The proposal does not require new infrastructure, but rather a **standardized developer-facing abstraction** for planning.
+
+---
+
+## YAML code available?
+
+NO
+
+---
+
+## Validated in lab/productive environments?
+
+NO
+
+This proposal is currently at the **concept and API design stage**, motivated by identified gaps in the Edge Cloud API lifecycle.
+
+---
+
+## Validated with real customers?
+
+NO
+
+The proposal is based on analysis of developer and platform requirements for edge deployment planning, particularly for latency-sensitive applications.
+
+---
+
+## Validated with operators?
+
+NO
+
+The proposal has not yet been formally validated with operators and is submitted for Working Group discussion and evaluation.
+
+---
+
+## Supporters in API Backlog Working Group
+
+To be added by the Working Group