Anwar M' Haneef

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Seamless Connectivity in Public Wireless LANs
using Agent based Technology

• Anwar M. Haneef
• Prof. Aura Ganz
• Multimedia Networks Laboratory
• http//dvd1.ecs.umass.edu/wireless/
• University of Massachusetts, Amherst

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Agenda

• Motivation
• Sample Scenario Shopping Mall
• Sample Scenario Airport
• Our Solution
• Mobile Device Issues
• Virtual Walkthrough
• Architecture
• Conclusions

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Agenda

• Motivation
• Sample Scenario Shopping Mall
• Sample Scenario Airport
• Our Solution
• Mobile Device Issues
• Virtual Walkthrough
• Architecture
• Conclusions

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Motivation

• Proliferation of various mobile devices
• WLANs being set up in public places
• Need for monitored access for these devices
• Need for authentication of these hard to locate
  and manage devices
• Need to define local policies for these roaming
  devices

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Public WLANs
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Agenda

• Motivation
• Sample Scenario Shopping Mall
• Sample Scenario Airport
• Our Solution
• Mobile Device Issues
• Virtual Walkthrough
• Architecture
• Conclusions

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MALL
Dynamic lookup of MANAS Service by client
framework
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MALL
2. MANAS Agent provides network access to
applications on Alices mobile as per locally
defined rules for network connectivity
3. MANAS Agent on Alices mobile looks out for
other services provided on the local network
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MALL
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Agenda

• Motivation
• Sample Scenario Shopping Mall
• Sample Scenario Airport
• Our Solution
• Mobile Device Issues
• Virtual Walkthrough
• Architecture
• Conclusions

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AIRPORT
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AIRPORT
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AIRPORT
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Agenda

• Motivation
• Sample Scenario Shopping Mall
• Sample Scenario Airport
• Our Solution
• Mobile Device Issues
• Virtual Walkthrough
• Architecture
• Conclusions

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MANAS - The Future of Nomadic Access

• MANAS
• Mobile Agent Network Access Service
• Strives to solve the problem of managing nomadic
  devices accessing local network resources
• Looks at the problem, taking care of the issues
  faced by mobile devices
• Uses Jini as the underlying technology

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Agenda

• Motivation
• Sample Scenario Shopping Mall
• Sample Scenario Airport
• Our Solution
• Mobile Device Issues
• Virtual Walkthrough
• Architecture
• Conclusions

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Mobile Device Issues

• Low bandwidth
• Less computing power
• Less storage capacity
• Computing power at the cost of battery power

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Agenda

• Motivation
• Sample Scenario Shopping Mall
• Sample Scenario Airport
• Our Solution
• Mobile Device Issues
• Virtual Walkthrough
• Architecture
• Conclusions

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MANAS In Action

• A mobile device wishing to access network
  resources would need a MANAS client framework
  implanted in it
• When it comes within range of a network service
  provider, it locates it and requests network
  access
• Once the device is authenticated, access is
  provided

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MANAS In Action

• The mobile device does not need to have
  complicated software installed
• No major computation done on the device
• Local policies specific to the network the device
  is currently in, may be incorporated

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Agenda

• Motivation
• Sample Scenario Shopping Mall
• Sample Scenario Airport
• Our Solution
• Mobile Device Issues
• Virtual Walkthrough
• Architecture
• Conclusions

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Network
Network Access Point/ Base Station
Mobile User
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Network
Network Access Point/ Base Station
Mobile User
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Network
Network Access Point/ Base Station
Mobile User
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Architecture - Security

• A concern in code mobility is security
• MANAS follows the Java security model
• Agent can be verified to come from trusted
  parties through techniques such as public key
  authentication
• Agent can also apply local policies such as
  encryption of all data transmitted

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Agenda

• Motivation
• Sample Scenario Shopping Mall
• Sample Scenario Airport
• Our Solution
• Mobile Device Issues
• Virtual Walkthrough
• Architecture
• Prototype and Conclusions

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Prototype

• Currently developed an HTTP Service for web
  access for a new device entering the network
• The location of the proxy to access the web is
  obtained dynamically

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Prototype

• The Mobile MANAS Agent starts a local data pipe
  on the device
• The Agent has the information regarding the
  location of the network HTTP proxy
• Packets may be filtered/monitored by the local
  Agent and feedback sent to a network security
  manager

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HTTP Proxy
HTTP Service
WWW
Network Access Point/ Base Station
Network
HTTP/Web Access
Web Browser Executing Mobile Agent Transport
Layer Network Layer Underlying Layers
Mobile User
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HTTP Proxy
HTTP Service
WWW
Network Access Point/ Base Station
Network
HTTP/Web Access
Web Browser Executing Mobile Agent Transport
Layer Network Layer Underlying Layers
Mobile User
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Conclusions

• MANAS a solution for instant, hassle free
  network connectivity for mobile devices
• Custom tailored solution for wireless LANs with
  mobile devices
• Network Protocol and Operating System agnostic
  solution

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Thank You !!!

• http//dvd1.ecs.umass.edu/manas/