Signalling in voice over IP Networks

Voice signalling protocols have evolved, keeping with the prevalent move from circuit to packet switched networks. Standardization bodies have provided solutions for carrying voice traffic over packet networks while the main manufacturers are already providing products in workgroup, enterprise, or operator portfolio. This trend will accrue in next years due to the evolution of UMTS mobile networks to an “all-IP” environment. In this paper we present the various architectures that are proposed for signalling in VoIP, mainly: H.323, SIP and MGCP. We also include a brief summary about signalling in classical telephone networks and, at the end, we give some ideas about the proposed “all-IP” architectures in UMTS 3G mobile networks.Publicad

NDN, CoAP, and MQTT: A Comparative Measurement Study in the IoT

This paper takes a comprehensive view on the protocol stacks that are under debate for a future Internet of Things (IoT). It addresses the holistic question of which solution is beneficial for common IoT use cases. We deploy NDN and the two popular IP-based application protocols, CoAP and MQTT, in its different variants on a large-scale IoT testbed in single- and multi-hop scenarios. We analyze the use cases of scheduled periodic and unscheduled traffic under varying loads. Our findings indicate that (a) NDN admits the most resource-friendly deployment on nodes, and (b) shows superior robustness and resilience in multi-hop scenarios, while (c) the IP protocols operate at less overhead and higher speed in single-hop deployments. Most strikingly we find that NDN-based protocols are in significantly better flow balance than the UDP-based IP protocols and require less corrective actions

Study into the potential of UWB applications in the process industry

The advances in mobile technology, such as ultra wideband (UWB), enable the use of advanced applications in the process industry. The main challenge in the first phase of designing UWB networks and applications is getting to know what the process industry, i.e. the potential customer, wants. In this paper we present how we applied a user requirements elicitation process to get information about the expectation from the process industry regarding wireless networks and more specifically ultra wideband. We describe the design process of the balanced decisions that have to be made regarding these elements, i.e. applications as demanded by the process industry, the technology as offered by the ICT industry and the value network that has to guarantee benefits for all involved partners. The outcome of this feasibility study leads to the decision for going on with the next step, i.e. the design and building of an UWB testbed

Collaborative Study Web Platform

Online learning is gaining importance in Universities, in student communities, and companies. Learning Management Systems (LMS) are the prevailing software solutions for education and e-learning. These systems are evolving from simple containers of courses information, syllabus, and documents or files, to offer more intricate features, associated with social and collaboration-oriented software. Aside from LMS, students often use multiple web applications for studying and doing projects. LMS may not offer a workspace where users can organize and share information, which is segmented on several online tools. Some solutions may even entirely restrict creation of content by students. With this in mind, a system was designed and implemented with the goal of providing an alternative or complementary solution to other LMS. In general, educational institutions deploy these systems, with restricted access within their peers. On the contrary, the proposed approach provides a set of collaboration and content organization tools. It is a web application provided under a software as a service (SaaS) model, to which potentially anyone can access and register. The platform is organized into groups, which hold content elements and place users together. Each group member has his/her set of roles inside the group, defining corresponding permissions, which are enforced by an access control system. Permissions are set in respect to users, groups and content. An emphasis is given on providing a way to assess or rate users through both their actions and content creation, hypothesizing this as a factor for user engagement and trust. Users, through several feedback elements such as voting and commenting, evaluate content. A presentation is done of the studied rating calculation methods and simulation of several of these methods. The resulting web platform sets a basis to explore different approaches for content creation and sharing collaboratively. The use cases in the system are analysed and discussed,considering this system as a foundation for a web application focused on collaborative and group-based study

Software-Defined Networks for Future Networks and Services: Main Technical Challenges and Business Implications

In 2013, the IEEE Future Directions Committee (FDC) formed an SDN work group to explore the amount of interest in forming an IEEE Software-Defined Network (SDN) Community. To this end, a Workshop on "SDN for Future Networks and Services" (SDN4FNS'13) was organized in Trento, Italy (Nov. 11th-13th 2013). Following the results of the workshop, in this paper, we have further analyzed scenarios, prior-art, state of standardization, and further discussed the main technical challenges and socio-economic aspects of SDN and virtualization in future networks and services. A number of research and development directions have been identified in this white paper, along with a comprehensive analysis of the technical feasibility and business availability of those fundamental technologies. A radical industry transition towards the "economy of information through softwarization" is expected in the near future