Research directions

1
Research directions

• Whats promising/interesting two different
  axes
• Intellectual merit ? interesting analysis,
  broadly applicable,
• Satisfies practical needs ? may not be a
  scientific breakthrough
• Related, but Ill ignore
• Whats fashionable/hot

2
Whats fashionable (and not)

• Judging from Infocom submissions and NSF panels
• Security of any sort
• Peer-to-peer networks
• Sensor networks
• Overlay networks
• Network measurements
• Whats not
• QoS scheduling, admission control,
• Active networks
• Multicast

3
Observations on network research

• Frustration with inability to change network
  infrastructure in less than 10 -- 20 year
  horizons
• IPv6
• Layer-3 multicast
• QoS
• Security
• Disconnect from standardization
• Few attempts to bring research work into
  standards bodies
• Standards bodies slow to catch up

4
Maturing network research

• Old questions
• Can we make X work over packet networks?
• All major dedicated network applications (flight
  reservations, embedded systems, radio, TV,
  telephone, fax, messaging, ) are now available
  on IP
• Can we get M/G/T bits to the end user?
• Raw bits everywhere any media, anytime,
  anywhere
• New questions
• Dependency on communications ? Can we make the
  network reliable?
• Can non-technical users use networks without
  becoming amateur sys-admins?
• Can we prevent social and financial damage
  inflicted through networks (viruses, spam, DOS,
  identity theft, privacy violations, )?