Ethernet - a survey on its fields of application

During the last decades, Ethernet progressively became the most widely used local area networking (LAN) technology. Apart from LAN installations, Ethernet became also attractive for many other fields of application, ranging from industry to avionics, telecommunication, and multimedia. The expanded application of this technology is mainly due to its significant assets like reduced cost, backward-compatibility, flexibility, and expandability. However, this new trend raises some problems concerning the services of the protocol and the requirements for each application. Therefore, specific adaptations prove essential to integrate this communication technology in each field of application. Our primary objective is to show how Ethernet has been enhanced to comply with the specific requirements of several application fields, particularly in transport, embedded and multimedia contexts. The paper first describes the common Ethernet LAN technology and highlights its main features. It reviews the most important specific Ethernet versions with respect to each application field’s requirements. Finally, we compare these different fields of application and we particularly focus on the fundamental concepts and the quality of service capabilities of each proposal

Smart grid architecture for rural distribution networks: application to a Spanish pilot network

This paper presents a novel architecture for rural distribution grids. This architecture is designed to modernize traditional rural networks into new Smart Grid ones. The architecture tackles innovation actions on both the power plane and the management plane of the system. In the power plane, the architecture focuses on exploiting the synergies between telecommunications and innovative technologies based on power electronics managing low scale electrical storage. In the management plane, a decentralized management system is proposed based on the addition of two new agents assisting the typical Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) system of distribution system operators. Altogether, the proposed architecture enables operators to use more effectively—in an automated and decentralized way—weak rural distribution systems, increasing the capability to integrate new distributed energy resources. This architecture is being implemented in a real Pilot Network located in Spain, in the frame of the European Smart Rural Grid project. The paper also includes a study case showing one of the potentialities of one of the principal technologies developed in the project and underpinning the realization of the new architecture: the so-called Intelligent Distribution Power Router.Postprint (published version

Implementation of community cohesion policy in Italy and its role in elimination of regional disparities

The objective of this paper is to present the contribution of Community regional policy funds to achieving socio-economic cohesion of Italian regions eligible under Objective 1, as well as to discuss future development barriers and opportunities of these regions. The paper also provides a description of Italy's adjustment to the Community policy, the funds exploited by cohesive regions during the 2000-2006 programming period and their efficiency in the elimination of regional disparities.Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie znaczenia, jakie środki wspólnotowej polityki regionalnej odegrały w osiąganiu spójności społeczno - gospodarczej przez włoskie regiony Celu 1 oraz pokazanie barier i szans rozwojowych dla tych terytoriów w przyszłości. W części pierwszej przedstawiony został proces dostosowawczy Włoch do polityki wspólnotowej, głównie pod względem zgodności prowadzonej polityki z zasadami polityki regionalnej oraz dostosowań instytucjonalnych. W części drugiej przedstawiona została analiza porównawcza wielkości funduszy wykorzystanych przez regiony kohezyjne w okresie programowania 2000 - 2006 z założonymi wielkościami, a także próba odpowiedzi na pytanie, czy środki te w istotnej mierze wpłynęły na zmniejszenie się różnic miedzy biedniejszymi regionami Południa a bogatszymi Północy - Centrum. W ostatniej części pokazano możliwości i bariery rozwojowe, przed którymi stoją włoskie regiony kohezyjne