Eirini Kalogeiton

SDN coordination for CCN and FC content dissemination in VANETs

Content dissemination in Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks has a myriad of applications, ranging from advertising and parking notifications, to traffic and emergency warnings. This heterogeneity requires optimizing content storing, retrieval and forwarding among vehicles to deliver data with short latency and without jeopardizing network resources. In this paper, for a few reference scenarios, we illustrate how approaches that combine Content Centric Networking (CCN) and Floating Content (FC) enable new and efficient solutions to this issue. Moreover, we describe how a network architecture based on Software Defined Networking (SDN) can support both CCN and FC by coordinating distributed caching strategies, by optimizing the packet forwarding process and the availability of floating data items. For each scenario analyzed, we highlight the main research challenges open, and we describe a few possible solutions.

A multihop and multipath routing protocol using NDN for VANETs

One main characteristic of Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) is the intermittent connectivity, which leads to failures of end to end paths between end nodes. Named Data Networking (NDN) is a network paradigm that deals with such problems, since information is forwarded based on content and not on the location of the hosts. Hence, NDN has been proposed in VANET scenarios. In this paper, we propose a multihop and multipath VANET routing algorithm that exploits several paths to achieve faster content retrieval. We create a new routing approach for NDN in VANETs, by introducing new fields to messages and to data structures. Simulation results show that our approach does not only guarantee faster data delivery, but also saves network resources, due to the lack of message retransmissions.

Autonomic Communications in Software-Driven Networks

Autonomic communications aim to provide the quality-of-service in networks using self-management mechanisms. It inherits many characteristics from autonomic computing, in particular, when communication systems are running as specialized applications in software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV)-enabled cloud environments. This paper surveys autonomic computing and communications in the context of software-driven networks, i.e., networks based on SDN/NFV concepts. Autonomic communications create new challenges in terms of security, operations, and business support. We discuss several goals, research challenges, and development issues on self-management mechanisms and architectures in software-driven networks. This paper covers multiple perspectives of autonomic communications in software-driven networks, such as automatic testing, integration, and deployment of network functions. We also focus on self-management and optimization, which make use of machine learning techniques.

Is SDN the solution for NDN-VANETs?

Named Data Networking (NDN) is a future Internet architecture suitable for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs), since it provides solutions to frequent topology changes in VANETs. In NDN messages are exchanged according to their content and not to the location of the hosts. SDN provides centralized network control. This paper presents use cases for vehicular NDN scenarios, where SDN is a suitable solution to solve arising problems in VANETs. In particular, SDN assists for setting up rules that are used by RSUs to dictate to the vehicles how to perform forwarding in the VANET. Moreover, SDN could optimize the allocation of network resources. Finally, we present a network communication approach between different geographical areas using wired communication between SDN controllers or wireless communication in vehicles that are used as data mules in these areas. The areas are defined based on the communication range of RSUs.

ICN/DTN for Public Safety in Mobile Networks

Abstract: Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is a new communication standard developed by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). Currently, LTE is becoming a 4G reference architecture due to its widespread adoption among leading operators of mobile telecommunications. LTE is therefore foreseen as an important foundation for future 5G networks. In the shift towards 5G, several open issues have to be worked out in LTE. They emerge due to severe requirements put on the infrastructure of the future networks. First, mobile users will expect high capacity channels, in which capacity is measured in several Gbps. Second, new applications will be considered with high densities of connected devices. Third, 5G networks will have to accommodate new types of connected devices such as household appliances, meters and connected cars. Fourth, direct device-to-device (D2D) communication will have to be formulated for sharing information in a local context. In the broader view, network-based communication in the licensed band can provide enhanced Quality of Service (QoS) for D2D scenarios. Fifth, extreme reliability (e.g. medical applications) and ultra-low latencies (e.g. VANET applications) have to be considered. Sixth, for Internet of Things (IoT) applications, communication with high energy efficiency is required. Finally, in current mobile networks, we are approaching Shannon’s capacity limit. Therefore, an enhanced channel capacity shall be provided through the adoption of a new spectrum range. According to the aforementioned picture, 5G will be a holistic ecosystem providing connectivity in a wide range of application use cases. It is therefore natural to seamlessly integrate Public Safety (PS) applications with 5G using LTE as a starting point.

A Multi-Pronged Approach to Adaptive and Context Aware Content Dissemination in VANETs

Content dissemination in Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks (VANETs) has the potential to enable a myriad of applications, ranging from advertising, traffic and emergency warnings to infotainment. This variety in applications and services calls for mechanisms able to optimize content storing, retrieval and forwarding among vehicles, without jeopardizing network resources. Content Centric Networking (CCN), takes advantage of inherent content redundancy in the network in order to decrease the utilization of network resources, improve response time and content availability, coping efficiently with some of the effects of mobility. Floating Content (FC), on the other hand, holds potential to implement efficiently a large amount of vehicular applications thanks to its property of geographic content replication, while Software Defined Networking (SDN), is an attractive solution for the lack of flexibility and dynamic programmability that characterizes current VANET architectures. By implementing a logical centralization of the network, SDN enables dynamic and efficient management of network resources. In this paper, for a few reference scenarios, we illustrate how approaches that combine CCN, FC and SDN enable an innovative adaptive VANET architecture able to efficiently accommodate to intermittent connectivity, fluctuating node density and mobility patterns on one side and application performance and network resources on the other side, aiming to achieve high QoS. For each scenario, we highlight the main open research challenges, and we describe possible solutions to improve content dissemination and reduce replication without affecting content availability.

CDS-MEC: NFV/SDN-based Application Management for MEC in 5G Systems

Abstract This paper presents and evaluates the first open-source Network Function Virtualization (NFV)/Software Defined Networking (SDN)-based Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) platform. Our platform solves the Mobile Edge (ME) management issues with respect to Application (App) provisioning and traffic management. First, the ME Apps are managed as Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) on top of the virtual environment through the Juju VNF Manager (VNFM). Second, we develop an SDN controller to manage traffic on the ME System. Third, unlike other relevant architectures of ME systems, we use the control plane (i.e., S1 interface) to derive appropriate states for traffic management. Finally, we evaluate our solution in two use-cases: ME caching and Information Centric (ICN)/Delay Tolerant (DTN) Public Safety communication (PS). The MEC caching framework displays improved user Quality of Experience, e.g., latency, in comparison to direct communication, while the PS solution provides a residual mean of communication for rescue teams, when the network core (EPC) and a Public Data Network (PDN) are unavailable.

A topology-oblivious routing protocol for NDN-VANETs

Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) are characterized by intermittent connectivity, which leads to failures of end-to-end paths between nodes. Named Data Networking (NDN) is a network paradigm that deals with such problems, since information is forwarded based on content and not on the location of the hosts. In this work, we propose an enhanced routing protocol of our previous topology-oblivious Multihop, Multipath, and Multichannel NDN for VANETs (MMM-VNDN) routing strategy that exploits several paths to achieve more efficient content retrieval. Our new enhanced protocol, i mproved MMM-VNDN (iMMM-VNDN), creates paths between a requester node and a provider by broadcasting Interest messages. When a provider responds with a Data message to a broadcast Interest message, we create unicast routes between nodes, by using the MAC address(es) as the distinct address(es) of each node. iMMM-VNDN extracts and thus creates routes based on the MAC addresses from the strategy layer of an NDN node. Simulation results show that our routing strategy performs better than other state of the art strategies in terms of Interest Satisfaction Rate, while keeping the latency and jitter of messages low.

Autonomic Communications in Software-Driven Networks Autonomic Communications in Software-Driven Networks

Autonomic communications aim to provide the quality-of-service in networks using self-management mechanisms. It inherits many characteristics from autonomic computing, in particular, when communication systems are running as specialized applications in software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV)-enabled cloud environments. This paper surveys autonomic computing and communications in the context of software-driven networks, i.e., networks based on SDN/NFV concepts. Autonomic communications create new challenges in terms of security, operations, and business support. We discuss several goals, research challenges, and development issues on self-management mechanisms and architectures in software-driven networks. This paper covers multiple perspectives of autonomic communications in software-driven networks, such as automatic testing, integration, and deployment of network functions. We also focus on self-management and optimization, which make use of machine learning techniques.