  Mobile edge computing (MEC) and next-generation mobile networks are set to
disrupt the way intelligent and autonomous systems are interconnected. This
will have an effect on a wide range of domains, from the Internet of Things to
autonomous mobile robots. The integration of such a variety of MEC services in
a inherently distributed architecture requires a robust system for managing
hardware resources, balancing the network load and securing the distributed
applications. Blockchain technology has emerged a solution for managing MEC
services, with consensus protocols and data integrity checks that enable
transparent and efficient distributed decision-making. In addition to
transparency, the benefits from a security point of view are evident.
Nonetheless, blockchain technology faces significant challenges in terms of
scalability. In this chapter, we review existing consensus protocols and
scalability techniques in both well-established and next-generation blockchain
architectures. From this, we evaluate the most suitable solutions for managing
MEC services and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the available
alternatives.
