Susan J. Lincke

Vertical handover policies for common radio resource management

The 3G and Beyond 3G wireless networks introduce new technologies, and in many cases, new frequency bands. Integrated hierarchical network architectural studies suggest that by using a Common Radio Resource Manager to engineer traffic across these component networks, operators can achieve increased efficiency and flexibility in supporting changing traffic demands. This study demonstrates how vertical handovers can be used to optimize network performance, by adaptively rearranging traffic across network boundaries. We survey policy implementations that consider which services/sessions shall move, where they shall move, when they shall move, and whether they shall return. Copyright

Designing System Security with UML Misuse Deployment Diagrams

Useful enhancements to UML for security exist, including for the requirements and analysis/design stages: notably misuse case diagrams/descriptions, mis-sequence diagrams, UMLpac, and security patterns. These all consider security attacks on software functionality. This paper considers the system architecture when analyzing security. The advantage of the proposed misuse deployment diagram is that in distributed processing (e.g., client/server) where you put your defense software is as important as having it. This new diagram gives a birds eye view of possible security attacks, and the security defenses or layers to mitigate them. This technique can be used in more than software development, since it may be used in audit, testing, security planning, and security education.

Network security: Focus on security, skills, and stability

Computer network security is a new and fast moving technology in the field of computer science. As such, the teaching of security is still a moving target. Security courses originally focused on mathematical and algorithmic aspects such as encryption and hashing techniques. However, as crackers hacked away at networks and systems, courses arose that emphasized the latest attacks. These attacks soon became out-of-date with security software responses. As security technology continues to mature, there is an emerging set of security techniques and skills. Network security skills emphasize business practices, legal foundations, attack recognition, security architecture, and network optimization. These skills tend to stabilize network security course(s). This paper summarizes skills relating to network security, and discusses active-learning exercises that assist students in learning these important skills.

Wireless load sharing with heterogeneous services and adaptive placement

Load sharing between wireless networks can lead to increased performance and flexibility in network engineering. This simulation study demonstrates the performance of load sharing diverse services (circuit- and packet-oriented services) across heterogeneous wireless networks, when the flexibility rate, network size, and queue size for packet services varies. The simulation is verified using a Gauss Seidel Markov chain model.

Energy efficiency: Teaching for accreditation, ethics, and technology

Increased energy demand in IT is growing rapidly as the world becomes more industrialized. Projections show that IT growth will continue to increase, with annual network growth at 45%. Increasing worldwide energy demands results in an increase in both costs and climate change. Using the energy efficiency topic, we address 5+ ABET learning outcomes, including ethics and local/global impact. One learning goal of this section is for students to learn what constitutes sound ethical reasoning and what does not (e.g. egoism). Another goal is to categorize the social implications of the technology into spheres of concern (local/national/global) and basic ethical theories (virtue/deontology/consequentialism). One of the best ways to teach ethics is to engage the students in identifying the ethical perspectives in use. We have created a table of justifications for energy efficiency and categorized them by ethical theory. Our main source for these reasons is Hot, Flat, and Crowded, by Thomas L. Friedman. For homework, students write a paper that includes both a technical and societal/ethical component to it.

Planning organizational security: the health first case study

Security is important skill for an IT professional, and allows him/her to advance and specialize in their career. We developed an Information Security course with a goal of training students for the ISACA CISA and CISM exams, and having students participate in security planning with not-for-profit organizations. The Health First Case Study enables students to practice security planning with a hypothetical Doctors office, including risk analysis, business continuity, information security, network security, personnel security, incident response, and physical security. Students use the Small Business Security Workbook, which leads them through the security planning process. The case study also helps students to understand the perspective of the business owner.

Work in progress - motivating students for software engineering

In basic Computer Science courses, students learn to program small programs with pre-defined programming structures, by themselves. Since software engineering courses teach students to schedule, design, code, and test larger projects in groups, a paradigm shift is required in order for the students to even understand the need for such topics as UML and project management. This paper discusses how to mentally prepare students for such a change, by establishing values, and using reflection, integrity, and process improvement

LOAD SHARING VERSUS SERVICE BALANCING IN INTEGRATED NETWORKS

As third and fourth generation cellular/wireless networks evolve, operators must learn to efficiently manage diverse services, and multiple networks consisting of varying technologies, cell sizes, and frequency bands. Architectural studies on integrated heterogeneous networks suggest that vertical handovers can be used to increase network efficiency. We propose that carefully-controlled load distribution can also promote Quality of Service (QoS) goals for the diverse services. This study compares session overflow and session placement algorithms in order to determine their effects on efficiency and QoS.

Tooling to improve data center efficiency

This survey paper investigates research relating to the opportunity to develop new tools to increase data center efficiency. We review techniques to improve data center efficiency, as well as the availability of research tools to achieve that goal. The techniques and tools discussed focus on reduced server utilization (power proportional), and reduced infrastructure power through air flow and free air cooling (green computing). In addition, some comprehensive research tools address both areas. We consider which methods may be appropriate for smaller data centers.

Security planning for small businesses: A service-learning course

Experiential, real-world problems results in higher impact learning. However, security planning is a complex process to learn. The Small Business Security Workbook was developed as part of an NSF CCLI grant to enable students to help small businesses in planning for security. The Workbook leads students and small business management through the security planning process, via a top-down (or bottom-up) approach and step-by-step procedures. Students learn concepts in lecture, which are just-in-time reviewed in the Workbook. The students practice with a case study, and then do actual security planning with a community partner. The Workbook is rated highly by both community partners and students in improving security in cooperating organizations. This paper describes the experience that a student team had with the Workbook and their community partner, as well as summarizing the overall perspective of the class.