Showing papers in "Journal of The Communications Network in 2004"

An overview of mobile ad hoc networks: applications and challenges

Abstract: In the past few years, we have seen a rapid expansion in the field of mobile computing due to the proliferation of inexpensive, widely available wireless devices. However, current devices, applications and protocols are solely focused on cellular or wireless local area networks (WLANs), not taking into account the great potential offered by mobile ad hoc networking. A mobile ad hoc network is an autonomous collection of mobile devices (laptops, smart phones, sensors, etc.) that communicate with each other over wireless links and cooperate in a distributed manner in order to provide the necessary network functionality in the absence of a fixed infrastructure. This type of network, operating as a stand-alone network or with one or multiple points of attachment to cellular networks or the Internet, paves the way for numerous new and exciting applications. Application scenarios include, but are not limited to: emergency and rescue operations, conference or campus settings, car networks, personal networking, etc. This paper provides insight into the potential applications of ad hoc networks and discusses the technological challenges that protocol designers and network developers are faced with. These challenges include routing, service and resource discovery, Internet connectivity, billing and security.

A four-tiered hierarchy in a converged fixed-mobile architecture enabling personal networks

Abstract: We present a new way of capturing the future technical infrastructure of a converged fixed-mobile infrastructure by means of a four-tiered hierarchy of one fixed and three different mobile and wireless (access) layers. With such a view, the current range of heterogeneous interconnected public and private networks can be easily modelled as a landscape of pockets (the mobile/wireless networks) with various depths and widths, connected by a drainage of high capacity (the fixed network) in which marbles (information) find their way. The metaphor clearly illustrates that higher demand for mobility will increase the need for a densely distributed high-capacity fixed access network. It also shows the high potential of the relatively new concept of personal networking. In the light of this model, we describe crucial technologies for fixed-mobile convergence, such as handover, roaming, and gateways. Summarising, we believe that our contribution in this paper could prove to be a helpful guideline to the telecom industry both from a strategic and operational perspective.

Grid computing: the next network challenge!

Abstract: Contact details for authors: Bruno Volckaert Department of Information Technology (INTEC) Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41, B-9000 Gent (Belgium) Tel: +32 (0) 9 264 9964 Email: Bruno.Volckaert@intec.UGent.be For the past five years, grid computing has been a very hot and fruitful research theme resulting now in the deployment of the first operational grid systems. The main motivation for this new computing paradigm lies in the observation that the demand for computational and storage resources is ever growing while on the other hand vast resources remain underused. The grid paradigm aims at solving this mismatch by offering its users computational and storage resources transparently, making abstraction of the exact geographic location of the physical resource (this approach has appealing similarities to the power grid, hence the term grid computing). Despite the current deployment of operational grid systems, important challenges still lie ahead. New applications, opening the grid also for commercial exploitation, impose new requirements in terms of, for example, security, scaling behaviour, quality of service and robustness. In particular the geographic spread of grid users in combination with these new requirements will certainly have drastic consequences for the communication infrastructure. This paper discusses an overview of current grid systems, application taxonomy and emerging trends. The implications for the network are analysed, taking current grid deployments as a starting point. The importance of co-management of computational/ storage and network resources is illustrated.