Autonomic Network Architecture
Encyclopedia
The Autonomic Network Architecture Project aims at exploring novel ways of organizing and using networks
beyond legacy Internet
technology. The ultimate goal is to design and develop a novel autonomic networking
architecture that enables flexible, dynamic, and fully autonomous formation of network nodes as well as whole networks. Universities and research institutes from Europe and Northern America are participating in this project.
The resulting autonomic network architecture will allow dynamic adaptation and re-organisation of the network according to the working, economical and social needs of the users. This is expected to be especially challenging in a mobile context where new resources become available dynamically, administrative domains change frequently, and the economic models may vary.
The scientific objective of this proposal is to identify fundamental autonomic network principles. Moreover, this project will build, demonstrate, and test such an autonomic network architecture. The key attribute is that such a network scales in a functional way that is, the network can extend both horizontally (more functionality) as well as vertically (different ways of integrating abundant functionality). The challenge addressed in this project is to come up with a network architecture and to fill it with the functionality needed to demonstrate the feasibility of autonomic networking within the coming 4 years.
, self-optimization, self-monitoring, self-repair, and self-protection. The hypothesis is that, due to these self-x attributes, such functional scaling will naturally lead to networks that are not only richer in functionality but which also scale in size. Scientific research in ANA will explore the “Internet de-construction” trends of functional atomization, diffusion and sedimentation that will replace the current static layering approach.
A new Autonomic Network Architecture will emerge as a result of this research. This architecture will provide the framework for network function re-composition. The goal is to produce an architectural design that enables flexible, dynamic and fully autonomic formation of large-scale networks in which the functionalities of each constituent network node are also composed in an autonomic fashion. This architecture must allow dynamic adaptation and re-organisation of the network according to the working, economical and social needs of the users. Moreover, it must support mobile nodes and multiple administrative domains.
The technological objective of ANA is therefore to build an experimental autonomic network architecture, and to demonstrate the feasibility of autonomic networking within the coming 4 years.
As a first step, a network based on the predominant infrastructure of Ethernet switches and wireless access points will be built. The goal is to demonstrate self-organization
of individual nodes into a network. The design of such network should potentially scale to large network meshes in the range of 105 active (routing) elements. Obviously, the consortium alone will not have resources to literally build a network of 105 nodes. In order to show scalability, three approaches are envisaged: a) overlay for interconnecting the participating sites, b) simulations, and c) a distributed open collaborative approach similar to successful initiatives such as “SETI@Home”, “Folding@Home”, to include external experimentators and to disseminate ANA results.
The second step, using insights from the first effort, will loosen the constraints and permit wired and multihop wireless heterogeneous devices to be integrated in an autonomic way. Here the focus is on the self-organization of networks into a global network. The rationale for a two phase approach is that an architecture can only be developed and its quality be validated if more than one case is explored.
These two (scientific and technical) objectives complement and reinforce each other in a tight feedback loop: Prototypes of research results will be implemented in the testbed at an early stage, such that preliminary experimental results can be used as a feedback to steer and refine the architectural design and to obtain more accurate and realistic research results. The research part will shape the testbed in order to maintain it at the fore-front of technology. To help the long term visions to materialize, ANA uses the testbed as an investigative research vehicle while remaining committed to the far looking character of the situated and autonomic networking initiative.
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
beyond legacy Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
technology. The ultimate goal is to design and develop a novel autonomic networking
Autonomic Networking
Autonomic Networking follows the concept of Autonomic Computing, an initiative started by IBM in 2001. Its ultimate aim is to create self-managing networks to overcome the rapidly growing complexity of the Internet and other networks and to enable their further growth, far beyond the size of...
architecture that enables flexible, dynamic, and fully autonomous formation of network nodes as well as whole networks. Universities and research institutes from Europe and Northern America are participating in this project.
The resulting autonomic network architecture will allow dynamic adaptation and re-organisation of the network according to the working, economical and social needs of the users. This is expected to be especially challenging in a mobile context where new resources become available dynamically, administrative domains change frequently, and the economic models may vary.
About the Project
This Integrated Project aims at exploring novel ways of organizing and using networks beyond legacy Internet technology. The ultimate goal is to design and develop a novel network architecture that enables flexible, dynamic, and fully autonomic formation of network nodes as well as whole networks. It will allow dynamic adaptation and re-organization of the network according to the working, economical and social needs of the users. This is expected to be especially challenging in a mobile context where new resources become available dynamically, administrative domains change frequently, and the economic models may vary.The scientific objective of this proposal is to identify fundamental autonomic network principles. Moreover, this project will build, demonstrate, and test such an autonomic network architecture. The key attribute is that such a network scales in a functional way that is, the network can extend both horizontally (more functionality) as well as vertically (different ways of integrating abundant functionality). The challenge addressed in this project is to come up with a network architecture and to fill it with the functionality needed to demonstrate the feasibility of autonomic networking within the coming 4 years.
Facts and Figures
- Period: January 1, 2006–December 31, 2009
- Funding Agency: European UnionEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
(EU) - Program: Information Societies Technology—Future Emerging Technologies (IST-FET)
- Coordinating Agency: ETH Zurich, Communication Systems Group
Project Objectives
The Autonomic Network Architecture (ANA) project has two complementary objectives that iteratively provide feedback to each other: a scientific objective and a technological one.Scientific Objective
To identify fundamental autonomic networking principles that enable networks to scale not only in size but also in functionality. The main premise of our work is that a functionally scaling network is a synonym for an evolving network which includes the various self-x attributes essential to autonomic communication such as self-managementSelf-management (computer science)
Self-Management is the process by which computer systems shall manage their own operation without human intervention. Self-Management technologies are expected to pervade the next generation of network management systems....
, self-optimization, self-monitoring, self-repair, and self-protection. The hypothesis is that, due to these self-x attributes, such functional scaling will naturally lead to networks that are not only richer in functionality but which also scale in size. Scientific research in ANA will explore the “Internet de-construction” trends of functional atomization, diffusion and sedimentation that will replace the current static layering approach.
A new Autonomic Network Architecture will emerge as a result of this research. This architecture will provide the framework for network function re-composition. The goal is to produce an architectural design that enables flexible, dynamic and fully autonomic formation of large-scale networks in which the functionalities of each constituent network node are also composed in an autonomic fashion. This architecture must allow dynamic adaptation and re-organisation of the network according to the working, economical and social needs of the users. Moreover, it must support mobile nodes and multiple administrative domains.
Technological Objective
The second premise in ANA is that the only way to make new ideas and concepts succeed is to put them into practice. Therefore, ANA takes on the challenge of not only producing original scientific research results and a novel architectural design, but also showing that they work in real situations, and using the experience gained experimentally as feedback to refine the architectural models and other research results.The technological objective of ANA is therefore to build an experimental autonomic network architecture, and to demonstrate the feasibility of autonomic networking within the coming 4 years.
As a first step, a network based on the predominant infrastructure of Ethernet switches and wireless access points will be built. The goal is to demonstrate self-organization
Self-organization
Self-organization is the process where a structure or pattern appears in a system without a central authority or external element imposing it through planning...
of individual nodes into a network. The design of such network should potentially scale to large network meshes in the range of 105 active (routing) elements. Obviously, the consortium alone will not have resources to literally build a network of 105 nodes. In order to show scalability, three approaches are envisaged: a) overlay for interconnecting the participating sites, b) simulations, and c) a distributed open collaborative approach similar to successful initiatives such as “SETI@Home”, “Folding@Home”, to include external experimentators and to disseminate ANA results.
The second step, using insights from the first effort, will loosen the constraints and permit wired and multihop wireless heterogeneous devices to be integrated in an autonomic way. Here the focus is on the self-organization of networks into a global network. The rationale for a two phase approach is that an architecture can only be developed and its quality be validated if more than one case is explored.
These two (scientific and technical) objectives complement and reinforce each other in a tight feedback loop: Prototypes of research results will be implemented in the testbed at an early stage, such that preliminary experimental results can be used as a feedback to steer and refine the architectural design and to obtain more accurate and realistic research results. The research part will shape the testbed in order to maintain it at the fore-front of technology. To help the long term visions to materialize, ANA uses the testbed as an investigative research vehicle while remaining committed to the far looking character of the situated and autonomic networking initiative.
Project Partners
- ETHEthEth is a letter used in Old English, Icelandic, Faroese , and Elfdalian. It was also used in Scandinavia during the Middle Ages, but was subsequently replaced with dh and later d. The capital eth resembles a D with a line through the vertical stroke...
Zurich, Communication Systems Group - University of BaselUniversity of BaselThe University of Basel is located in Basel, Switzerland, and is considered to be one of leading universities in the country...
- NEC Europe Ltd. Network Laboratories (NEC)
- Lancaster UniversityLancaster UniversityLancaster University, officially The University of Lancaster, is a leading research-intensive British university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established by Royal Charter in 1964 and initially based in St Leonard's Gate until moving to a purpose-built 300 acre campus at...
(ULanc) - Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung (FOKUS)
- Université de Liége (ULg)
- Université Paris VI
- Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC)
- National and Kapodistrian University of AthensNational and Kapodistrian University of AthensThe National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , usually referred to simply as the University of Athens, is the oldest university in Southeast Europe and has been in continuous operation since its establishment in 1837. Today, it is the second-largest institution of higher learning in Greece,...
(NKUA) - University of OsloUniversity of OsloThe University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
(UiO) - Telekom AustriaTelekom AustriaTelekom Austria is a provider of a range of fixed line, mobile, data, and Internet communications services. The company has a 100 per cent share in telecommunications provider A1 Telekom Austria....
- University of WaterlooUniversity of WaterlooThe University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
See also
- Autonomic ComputingAutonomic ComputingAutonomic Computing refers to the self-managing characteristics of distributed computing resources, adapting to unpredictable changes whilst hiding intrinsic complexity to operators and users...
- Autonomic Systems
- Network CompartmentNetwork CompartmentNetwork Compartmentalization, the division of network functionality into network compartments, is an important concept of Autonomic Networking.- Definition of Network Compartments :...
- Autonomic NetworkingAutonomic NetworkingAutonomic Networking follows the concept of Autonomic Computing, an initiative started by IBM in 2001. Its ultimate aim is to create self-managing networks to overcome the rapidly growing complexity of the Internet and other networks and to enable their further growth, far beyond the size of...