Rethinking Routing and Peering in the era of Vertical Integration of Network Functions

Content providers typically control the digital content consumption services and are getting the most revenue by implementing an all-you-can-eat model via subscription or hyper-targeted advertisements. Revamping the existing Internet architecture and design, a vertical integration where a content provider and access ISP will act as unibody in a sugarcane form seems to be the recent trend. As this vertical integration trend is emerging in the ISP market, it is questionable if existing routing architecture will suffice in terms of sustainable economics, peering, and scalability. It is expected that the current routing will need careful modifications and smart innovations to ensure effective and reliable end-to-end packet delivery. This involves new feature developments for handling traffic with reduced latency to tackle routing scalability issues in a more secure way and to offer new services at cheaper costs. Considering the fact that prices of DRAM or TCAM in legacy routers are not necessarily decreasing at the desired pace, cloud computing can be a great solution to manage the increasing computation and memory complexity of routing functions in a centralized manner with optimized expenses. Focusing on the attributes associated with existing routing cost models and by exploring a hybrid approach to SDN, we also compare recent trends in cloud pricing (for both storage and service) to evaluate whether it would be economically beneficial to integrate cloud services with legacy routing for improved cost-efficiency. In terms of peering, using the US as a case study, we show the overlaps between access ISPs and content providers to explore the viability of a future in terms of peering between the new emerging content-dominated sugarcane ISPs and the healthiness of Internet economics. To this end, we introduce meta-peering, a term that encompasses automation efforts related to peering – from identifying a list of ISPs likely to peer, to injecting control-plane rules, to continuous monitoring and notifying any violation – one of the many outcroppings of vertical integration procedure which could be offered to the ISPs as a standalone service

Tapaustutkimus joukkoliikenteen tasataksasta Helsingin seudulla

Thesis studies flat tariff as potential pricing model for Helsinki Region Transport. Flat tariff is compared to current zone model through financial analysis, user experiences, benchmarking other cities and evaluating effects on least well-off passengers. Thesis utilizes qualitative methods of expert, individual and group interviews and quantitative methods of price elasticity and trip/income analyses. Behavioural effects are recognized through theoretical framework. Results show that flat tariff is realizable but would demand increased subsidies. Experience of fairness relates with losses; if flat tariff is implemented with the current lowest price level, feeling of injustice should not occur. If price increases would be needed, negative emotions of “losers” are stronger than the joy of “winners”. Flat tariff with AB-zone price level would improve transport justice for all users. Flat tariff is not the optimal model to maximize both revenue and usage, unless the behavioural value for simplicity is expected to be high. However, defining the exact value of simplicity would demand further empirical preference studies. Behavioural eco-nomics is relevant framework for tariff planning, and planners need quantitative methods to combine psychological analysis and economical effects of pricing. In conclusion, thesis recommends remaining to zone model, but to lower prices of C- and D-zones in relation to AB-region.Diplomityö tutkii tasatariffia hinnoitteluvaihtoehtona Helsingin seudun liikenteessä. Tariffia verrataan vyöhykkeisiin rahoituksen, käyttäjäkokemusten ja muiden kaupunkien kokemusten kautta sekä arvioidaan vaikutuksia pienituloisille matkustajille. Tutkimus perustuu asiantuntija-, henkilö- ja ryhmähaastatteluiden laadulliseen analyysiin sekä hinta-joustojen ja matkojen kvantitatiiviseen analyysiin. Käyttäytymistaloustieteellisiä vaikutuksia analysoidaan teorian avulla. Tulosten perusteella tasatariffi on toteutettavissa, mutta edellyttää lisäsubventioita. Kokemus oikeudenmukaisuudesta liittyy hinnankorotuksiin; jos tasataksa toteutetaan ilman hinnankorotuksia, epäoikeudenmukaisuuden kokemus ei ole ongelma. Jos osalle käyttäjistä aiheutuu hinnankorotuksia, ”häviäjien” negatiiviset tunteet ovat voimakkaampia kuin “voittajien” tyytyväisyys. Tasatariffi nykyisellä AB-hintatasolla parantaisi liikkumisen oikeudenmukaisuutta kaikille käyttäjille. Tasataksa ei ole optimaalinen malli tulojen ja käytön maksimoimiseksi, ellei yksinkertaisuuden arvo asiakkaalle ole korkea. Yksinkertaisuuden arvon määrittäminen vaatisi kuitenkin empiirisiä preferenssitutkimuksia. Työ osoittaa käyttäytymistaloustieteen keskeisen roolin hinnoittelussa, ja suunnittelijoiden täytyy hallita kvantitatiiviset menetelmät hinnoittelun psykologisten ja taloudellisten vaikutusten analysoimiseksi. Johtopäätöksenä suositellaan pysyttäytymistä vyöhykemallissa ja CD-vyöhykkeiden hintojen laskua

Financial aspects of cloud computing business models

The purpose of the study was to explore financial aspects of cloud computing business models from information technology (IT) services provider’s perspective. The financial aspects were divided into revenue model and related pricing mechanisms and cost structure and related cost accounting mechanisms according to business model ontology. Cloud computing is a new computing paradigm and the latest megatrend in IT industry developed as a result of the convergence of numerous new and existing technologies. It is characterized by provision of rapidly scalable and measurable IT capabilities as a service on on-demand and self-service basis over the network from common resource pool. The study was carried out as a single case study in a global company offering IT services for large enterprises and public organizations and currently preparing to introduce its own cloud services. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers of the case company for exploring the financial aspects of cloud services. Qualitative data analysis was employed for processing and summarizing the findings. Findings of the study suggested that each cloud service should have a distinct business model. The business model is a mediating construct that translates the new technology to the service’s value proposition. The business model also defines appropriate pricing and cost accounting mechanism for a service. The business models are based on services provider’s position in cloud computing value chain. A cloud computing business logic framework was created to illustrate the interaction between the value chain, business models and its elements. The key cost types of services do not necessarily change much with cloud computing. Cloud computing has still potential to significantly reduce services provider’s costs through reengineering of production architecture. A cloud computing cost accounting model was created to illustrate how production costs should be aggregated and distributed. Pricing of services changes with cloud computing and pay per use and subscription-based pricing mechanisms are most typical for cloud services. The pricing should be based on customer’s perceived value instead of production costs of services. A generic cloud computing pricing mechanism that combines pay per use and subscription mechanisms was created to better balance risk sharing between services provider and customer. The main contributions of the study were the establishment of services provider focus in cloud computing literature and discussion of financial aspects of cloud computing

Indiana State University Campus Facilities Master Plan 2000

Indiana State University master plan for campus facilities development

Blueprint model and language for engineering cloud applications

Abstract: The research presented in this thesis is positioned within the domain of engineering CSBAs. Its contribution is twofold: (1) a uniform specification language, called the Blueprint Specification Language (BSL), for specifying cloud services across several cloud vendors and (2) a set of associated techniques, called the Blueprint Manipulation Techniques (BMTs), for publishing, querying, and composing cloud service specifications with aim to support the flexible design and configuration of an CSBA.

User-centric power-friendly quality-based network selection strategy for heterogeneous wireless environments

The ‘Always Best Connected’ vision is built around the scenario of a mobile user seamlessly roaming within a multi-operator multi-technology multi-terminal multi-application multi-user environment supported by the next generation of wireless networks. In this heterogeneous environment, users equipped with multi-mode wireless mobile devices will access rich media services via one or more access networks. All these access networks may differ in terms of technology, coverage range, available bandwidth, operator, monetary cost, energy usage etc. In this context, there is a need for a smart network selection decision to be made, to choose the best available network option to cater for the user’s current application and requirements. The decision is a difficult one, especially given the number and dynamics of the possible input parameters. What parameters are used and how those parameters model the application requirements and user needs is important. Also, game theory approaches can be used to model and analyze the cooperative or competitive interaction between the rational decision makers involved, which are users, seeking to get good service quality at good value prices, and/or the network operators, trying to increase their revenue. This thesis presents the roadmap towards an ‘Always Best Connected’ environment. The proposed solution includes an Adapt-or-Handover solution which makes use of a Signal Strength-based Adaptive Multimedia Delivery mechanism (SAMMy) and a Power-Friendly Access Network Selection Strategy (PoFANS) in order to help the user in taking decisions, and to improve the energy efficiency at the end-user mobile device. A Reputation-based System is proposed, which models the user-network interaction as a repeated cooperative game following the repeated Prisoner’s Dilemma game from Game Theory. It combines reputation-based systems, game theory and a network selection mechanism in order to create a reputation-based heterogeneous environment. In this environment, the users keep track of their individual history with the visited networks. Every time, a user connects to a network the user-network interaction game is played. The outcome of the game is a network reputation factor which reflects the network’s previous behavior in assuring service guarantees to the user. The network reputation factor will impact the decision taken by the user next time, when he/she will have to decide whether to connect or not to that specific network. The performance of the proposed solutions was evaluated through in-depth analysis and both simulation-based and experimental-oriented testing. The results clearly show improved performance of the proposed solutions in comparison with other similar state-of-the-art solutions. An energy consumption study for a Google Nexus One streaming adaptive multimedia was performed, and a comprehensive survey on related Game Theory research are provided as part of the work

Les opérateurs sauront-ils survivre dans un monde en constante évolution? Considérations techniques conduisant à des scénarios de rupture

Le secteur des télécommunications passe par une phase délicate en raison de profondes mutations technologiques, principalement motivées par le développement de l'Internet. Elles ont un impact majeur sur l'industrie des télécommunications dans son ensemble et, par conséquent, sur les futurs déploiements des nouveaux réseaux, plateformes et services. L'évolution de l'Internet a un impact particulièrement fort sur les opérateurs des télécommunications (Telcos). En fait, l'industrie des télécommunications est à la veille de changements majeurs en raison de nombreux facteurs, comme par exemple la banalisation progressive de la connectivité, la domination dans le domaine des services de sociétés du web (Webcos), l'importance croissante de solutions à base de logiciels et la flexibilité qu'elles introduisent (par rapport au système statique des opérateurs télécoms). Cette thèse élabore, propose et compare les scénarios possibles basés sur des solutions et des approches qui sont technologiquement viables. Les scénarios identifiés couvrent un large éventail de possibilités: 1) Telco traditionnel; 2) Telco transporteur de Bits; 3) Telco facilitateur de Plateforme; 4) Telco fournisseur de services; 5) Disparition des Telco. Pour chaque scénario, une plateforme viable (selon le point de vue des opérateurs télécoms) est décrite avec ses avantages potentiels et le portefeuille de services qui pourraient être fournisThe telecommunications industry is going through a difficult phase because of profound technological changes, mainly originated by the development of the Internet. They have a major impact on the telecommunications industry as a whole and, consequently, the future deployment of new networks, platforms and services. The evolution of the Internet has a particularly strong impact on telecommunications operators (Telcos). In fact, the telecommunications industry is on the verge of major changes due to many factors, such as the gradual commoditization of connectivity, the dominance of web services companies (Webcos), the growing importance of software based solutions that introduce flexibility (compared to static system of telecom operators). This thesis develops, proposes and compares plausible future scenarios based on future solutions and approaches that will be technologically feasible and viable. Identified scenarios cover a wide range of possibilities: 1) Traditional Telco; 2) Telco as Bit Carrier; 3) Telco as Platform Provider; 4) Telco as Service Provider; 5) Telco Disappearance. For each scenario, a viable platform (from the point of view of telecom operators) is described highlighting the enabled service portfolio and its potential benefitsEVRY-INT (912282302) / SudocSudocFranceF

Fundamentals of Business

Fundamentals of Business, fourth edition (2023) is an open education resource intended to serve as a no-cost, faculty-customizable primary text for one-semester undergraduate introductory business courses. It covers the following topics in business: Teamwork; economics; ethics; entrepreneurship; business ownership, management, and leadership; organizational structures and operations management; human resources and motivating employees; managing in labor union contexts; marketing and pricing strategy; hospitality and tourism, accounting and finance, personal finances, and technology in business

MSU Update, 1993

MSU Update Newsletters for 1993