Distributed nodes are implemented using virtualization infrastructure of at least one processing platform. The processing platform is implemented using at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory. The distributed nodes collectively provide at least a portion of a distributed contextual analytics framework comprising analytics functions deployed at respective ones of the nodes. For example, the distributed nodes illustratively comprise multiple local nodes and at least one central node, with the distributed contextual analytics framework comprising local analytics functions deployed at respective ones of the local nodes and a central analytics function deployed at the central node.