Dirk Kutscher

I presented GreenICN work on Scalable Content Exchange in Challenged ICNs at CCNxCon-2015 this week.

Download: ccnxcon2015-kutscher.pdf

Abstract:
The principles of Information­Centric Networking (ICN), accessing data objects by name (not by location address), securing data objects (not connections), in­network caching (for sharing, repair, rate adaptation) make ICN attractive for a wide range of application scenarios beyond traditional data center or telco access network scenarios. In fact, one of the first instantiation of ICN had been developed based on Delay­Tolerant Networking (DTN) technologies.

Currently, ICN/DTN is considered a promising approach for enabling/enhancing communication in disaster scenarios. In such scenarios, so­called ICN data mules (that carry and disseminate data times) may move randomly, and each time data mules encounter one another exchange data items. We envision that in such a scenario where there is no connectivity, data mules (e.g. vehicles or drones) can move around randomly. So these mobile routers interact with end users, working base stations and other data mules to fetch and deliver the data and queries. Thus, we do not consider adhoc networks where you can build a path to the destination reactively or proactively, rather a DTN like scenario.

Consider a large scale disaster scenario like the earthquake in Japan in 2011 , where people in different parts of the city are stranded without the internet connectivity. But there are some zones, where base stations are still working and providing connectivity. Essentially, the scenario is such that ICN data mule move randomly across a geographic area, and when meeting end­users receive interests from them and also forward corresponding data items to end­users (if present in the content store / cache of the data mule). At the same time, when data mules encounter each other, they forward to each other certain end­user interest and/or data items (according to a predefined rule set and algorithm), such that interests and data items can be forwarded in a hop­by­hop DTN fashion. One research problem in such a scenario is how to optimize such data exchanges among data mules for optimal data dissemination (e.g. optimizing how many desired messages reach their recipients within a given timeframe with a given forwarding strategy, assuming that data mules only have limited time at each encounter to exchange
messages).

URIs [RFC3986] are used in various protocols for identifying resources. In many deployments those URIs contain strings that are hash function outputs in order to ensure uniqueness in terms of mapping the URI to a specific resource, or to make URIs hard to guess for security reasons. However, there is no standard way to interpret those strings and so today in general only the creator of the URI knows how to use the hash function output.

In the context of information-centric networking and elsewhere there is value in being able to compare a presented resource against the URI that was de-referenced in order to access that resource. If a cryptographically-strong comparison function can be used then this allows for many forms of in-network storage, without requiring as much trust in the infrastructure used to present the resource. The outputs of hash functions can be used in this manner, if presented in a standard way. There are also many other potential uses for these hash outputs, for example, in terms of binding the URI to an owner via signatures and public keys, mapping between names, handling versioning etc. Many such uses can be based on "wrapping" the object with meta-data, e.g. including signatures, public key certificates etc.

We therefore define the "ni" URI scheme that allows for, but does not insist upon, checking of the integrity of the URI/resource mapping.

The "ni" URI scheme is specified in draft-farrell-ni-00

The Internet is already made of things. However, we expect there
to be many more less-capable things, such as sensors and
actuators, connected to the Internet in years to come. In
parallel, Internet applications are more and more being used to
perform operations on named (information) objects, and various
Information-Centric Networking (ICN) approaches are being
researched in order to allow such applications to work
effectively at scale and with various forms of mobility and in
networking environments that are more challenging than a
traditional access network and data center. In a recent position
paper, we outline some benefits that may accrue, and issues that
arise, should the Internet, with many more things, make use of
the ICN approach to networking and we argue that ICN concepts
should be considered when planning for increases in the number of
things connected to the Internet.

Venue: Interconnecting Smart Objects with the Internet Workshop Prague, Friday, 25th March 2011
Paper: http://www.iab.org/about/workshops/smartobjects/papers/Kutscher.pdf
Presentation: http://www.iab.org/about/workshops/smartobjects/slides/Kutscher.pdf

We have submitted a new version of the DECADE architecture draft, which is now a work item of the IETF DECADE WG.

Abstract:
Peer-to-peer (P2P) applications have become widely used on the
Internet today and make up a large portion of the traffic in many
networks. One technique to improve the network efficiency of P2P
applications is to introduce storage capabilities within the
networks. The DECADE Working Group has been formed with the goal of
developing an architecture to provide this capability. This document
presents an architecture, discusses the underlying principles, and
identifies core components and protocols supporting the architecture.

The Internet Draft: draft-ietf-decade-arch

We have written a description about how congestion exposure (as being worked on in the IETF CONEX WG) can be be used in mobile communication networks such as LTE.

Abstract:

This memo describes a mobile communications use case for congestion
exposure (CONEX) with a particular focus on mobile communication
networks such as 3GPP LTE. The draft describes the architecture of
these networks (access and core networks), current QoS mechanisms and
then discusses how congestion exposure concepts could be applied.
Based on this, this memo suggests a set of requirements for CONEX
mechanisms that particularly apply to mobile networks.

The Internet Draft: draft-kutscher-conex-mobile

The proceedings of our 2010 Dagstuhl seminar on Information-Centric Networking have been published.

They are available online: [2010 Dagstuhl ICN seminar proceedings]

I gave a talk on Information-Centric Networking at the 6th GI/ITG KuVS Workshop on “Future Internet”.

[Abstract][Slide presentation]

Internet Draft on an Bundle Protocol Query Extension Block (draft-farrell-dtnrg-bpq-00)

Abstract:

The Bundle Protocol (BP) provides store-and-forward networking for
Delay- and Disruption-Tolerant Networks. This document defines the
BP query extension block (BPQ) which allows applications to query the
stores of nodes on the path along which a bundle containing a bundle
query extension block is routed.

draft-farrell-dtnrg-bpq-00

Internet Draft on requirements for accessing data in network storage (Requirements for accessing data in network storage).

Abstract:

The DECoupled Application Data Enroute (DECADE) working group is
specifying standardized interfaces for accessing in-network storage
from applications to store, retrieve and manage data. The main
objective is to provide a framework that is useful to P2P
applications, without excluding other, possibly related applications
that can benefit from accessing in-network storage. This memo
presents Internet TV as a specific application scenario where access
to in-netork storage would be required and lists a set of concrete
requirements that should be considered for the DECADE architecture
and protocol specifications.

draft-ohlman-decade-add-use-cases-reqs-02

DECADE architecture draft (draft-alimi-decade-arch-01):

Abstract:

Peer-to-peer (P2P) applications have become widely used on the
Internet today and make up a large portion of the traffic in many
networks. One technique to improve the network efficiency of P2P
applications is to introduce storage capabilities within the network.
The DECADE Working Group has been formed with the goal of developing
an architecture to provide this capability. This document presents
an architecture, discusses the underlying principles and identifies
core components and protocols supporting the architecture.

draft-alimi-decade-arch-01