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The network management plays the most important role in both edge and fog paradigms since it represents the means of connecting all smart devices at the edge and ultimately providing available resources by deploying more nodes. Since the nature of an IoT network consists of heterogeneous devices, which are highly dispersed across large areas, an engaging task is to manage and maintain connectivity. Newly emerging technologies like software-defined networks (SDNs) and network function virtualization (NFV) are seen as a possible solution that may have a significant impact in implementing and maintaining the network increasing the scalability and reducing cost [19].

Considering the volatile nature of the network, providing a seamless connectivity mechanism is critical since both mobile and stationary devices coexist in the network. Therefore, another aspect of network management is related to connectivity. This mechanism must be able to provide the possibility of connecting/disconnecting easily from the network such that the uncertainty introduced by mobile devices is accommodated. Moreover, providing this encourages an increased deployment of smart devices by users and manufacturers alike, without extra cost or expert knowledge.

An effort in this direction is made by the I3: the intelligent IoT integrator, developed by USC [34], having the purpose of creating a marketplace where users can share their private data with application developers and receive incentives for it. There are two main advantages of designing the marketplace like this: first, the users are encouraged to deploy more edge devices, which in return extends the IoT network with more resources that app developers can use; and second, there is a pool of data that developers can utilize to improve their IoT applications.