Towards More Data-Aware Application Integration (extended version)

Although most business application data is stored in relational databases, programming languages and wire formats in integration middleware systems are not table-centric. Due to costly format conversions, data-shipments and faster computation, the trend is to "push-down" the integration operations closer to the storage representation. We address the alternative case of defining declarative, table-centric integration semantics within standard integration systems. For that, we replace the current operator implementations for the well-known Enterprise Integration Patterns by equivalent "in-memory" table processing, and show a practical realization in a conventional integration system for a non-reliable, "data-intensive" messaging example. The results of the runtime analysis show that table-centric processing is promising already in standard, "single-record" message routing and transformations, and can potentially excel the message throughput for "multi-record" table messages.Comment: 18 Pages, extended version of the contribution to British International Conference on Databases (BICOD), 2015, Edinburgh, Scotlan

Distributed control in virtualized networks

The increasing number of the Internet connected devices requires novel solutions to control the next generation network resources. The cooperation between the Software Defined Network (SDN) and the Network Function Virtualization (NFV) seems to be a promising technology paradigm. The bottleneck of current SDN/NFV implementations is the use of a centralized controller. In this paper, different scenarios to identify the pro and cons of a distributed control-plane were investigated. We implemented a prototypal framework to benchmark different centralized and distributed approaches. The test results have been critically analyzed and related considerations and recommendations have been reported. The outcome of our research influenced the control plane design of the following European R&D projects: PLATINO, FI-WARE and T-NOVA

From television to multi-platform: less from more or more for less?

This article examines economic aspects of convergence and of multi-platform expansion in the media sector. Focusing on television broadcasters in the UK, it analyses the recent migration of conventional media towards multi-platform strategies and asks whether digitization is making content delivery more resource–intensive than before or whether it is facilitating greater efficiency. Findings suggest that adaptation to a multi-platform outlook on the part of conventional media requires investment in staffing and re-versioning of content. Funding this, especially in a period of economic downturn, has encouraged a more selective approach towards content, with concomitant implications for diversity. Notwithstanding generally low commercial returns from online activities so far, the potential economic advantages to be had from multi-platform are significant. The experience of UK broadcasters suggests a well-executed ‘360-degree’ approach to commissioning and distribution will increase the value that can be realized from any given universe of content, partly because of extended opportunities for consumption of that content, but also because modes of engagement in a digital multi-platform context allow for an improved audience experience and for better signalling of audience preferences back to suppliers

A Convergent Mobile Infrastructure: Competition or Co-operation

This paper will describe how the various telecommunication networks are converging to create an environment described by this paper as a Convergent Mobile Infrastructure (CMI). The convergent mobile infrastructure spans multiple technologies including fixed telecommunication network, Wireless Fidelity (WIFI) networks and space technologies, and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). A business model framework is presented which is derived from the literature to aid the development of viable business models expected from the amalgamation of mobile telecommunication and space infrastructure. With examples for the global mobile telecommunication industry, this theoretical paper will illustrate the importance of technological and organizational co-operation between the various actors. The paper argues that using the business model concept to describe the framework for a convergent mobile infrastructure can increase adoption of competing network technologies

Serviços multimédia multicast de próxima geração

Mestrado em Engenharia Electrónica e TelecomunicaçõesUma das mais recentes conquistas na evolução móvel foi o 3G, permitindo o acesso a serviços multimédia com qualidade de serviço assegurada. No entanto, a tecnologia UMTS, tal como definida na sua Release ’99, é apenas capaz de transmitir em modo unicast, sendo manifestamente ineficiente para comunicações multimédia almejando grupos de utilizadores. A tecnologia IMS surge na Release 5 do 3GPP que começou a responder já a algumas necessidades, permitindo comunicações sobre IP oferecendo serviços Internet a qualquer momento e em qualquer lugar sobre tecnologias de comunicação móveis fornecendo pela primeira vez sessões multimédia satisfatórias. A Release 6 por sua vez trouxe a tecnologia MBMS que permite transmissões em broadcast e multicast para redes móveis. O MBMS fornece os serviços de aplicações multimédia que todos estavam à espera, tanto para os utilizadores como para os prestadores de serviços. O operador pode agora fazer uso da tecnologia existente aumentando todo o tipo de benefícios no serviço prestado ao cliente. Com a possível integração destas duas tecnologias passa a ser possível desenvolver serviços assentes em redes convergentes em que os conteúdos são entregues usando tecnologias unicast, multicast ou broadcast. Neste contexto, o principal motivo deste trabalho consiste essencialmente em fazer uso dos recursos da rede terminando com o desperdício dos mesmos e aumentando a eficiência dos serviços através da integração das tecnologias IMS e MBMS. O trabalho realizado começa com o estudo do estado da arte das telecomunicações móveis com referência às tecnologias referidas, seguindo-se a apresentação da possível integração IMS-MBMS e terminando com o projecto de uma plataforma de demonstração que no futuro possa ser uma implementação de serviço multimédia multicast. O objectivo principal é mostrar os benefícios de um serviço que era normalmente executado em unicast relativamente ao modo multicast, fazendo uso da nova convergência de tecnologias IMS e MBMS. Na conclusão do trabalho são referidas as vantagens do uso de portadoras multicast e broadcast, tendo como perspectiva de que este trabalho possa ser um ponto de partida para um novo conjunto de serviços poupando recursos de rede e permitindo uma eficiência considerável em serviços inovadores.3G is bang up to date in the mobile phone industry. It allows access to multimedia services and gives a guarantee of quality of service. The UMTS technology, defined in 3GPP Release ’99, provides an unicast transmission, but it is completely inefficient when it comes to multimedia group communications. The IMS technology first appeared in Release 5 that has already started to consider the interests of the clients. It provides communications over IP, offering Internet services anytime, anywhere on mobile communication technologies. Also, it offers for the first time satisfactory multimedia sessions. On the other hand, Release 6 gave rise to the MBMS technology that provides broadcast and multicast transmissions for mobile networks. The MBMS provides multimedia applications services that everyone was waiting, including users and service providers. Now the operator makes use of existing technology in order to provide better costumer services. The possible integration of these two technologies will contribute to develop services based on converged networks in which contents are delivered through the unicast, multicast or broadcast technologies. Therefore, the objective of this work is basically to make use of network resources avoiding wastes and improving customer services through the integration of the IMS and the MBMS technologies. The executed work starts with the mobile telecommunications state of the art with reference to the referred technologies, followed by the IMS-MBMS convergence presentation and finishing with the proposal for implementation of a service platform that can be used for a multimedia multicast service. The main point is to show the benefits of a service that has been normally executed in unicast mode over the multicast mode, making use of the new IMS and MBMS technologies integration. To closure the work it is referred the advantages to use multicast and broadcast bearers, with the perspective that this work could be a starting point to a new set of services, saving network resources and allowing for innovate services a considerable efficency

Online mobile content innovations and industry structure: implications for firms' strategies

Research literature indicates that successful market penetration and development using new technologies require technology entrepreneurs and managers to implement strategies that take advantage and overcome problems associated with important business environmental and product-specific factors. Using a conceptual framework drawn from important constructs in the Porter's competitive forces model and innovation literature, this study examines the Malaysian mobile content innovations and industry structure with the objective of understanding the variables that influence profitability of mobile content firms. To achieve the study's objective, extensive content analysis on all 43 Malaysian online mobile content firms' websites that were in operation in August 2008 was conducted and information on their innovations and industry structure from public domain were gathered. The study findings reveal important variables and linkages within, as well as those between, online mobile content firms' innovations and their industry contexts. These provide the basis for generating strategic propositions for the development of online mobile content firms as well as the overall mobile telecommunications industry. The study also concludes that deciding on the primary target market (PTM) is a critical consideration in mobile content business. Similarly important is for the mobile content firms, to evolve into transacting business entities, which activities will benefit all players in the mobile telecommunications service industry value chain

Comparison of pre-paid rating methods

Despite the attractive post-paid tariff packages a lot of subscribers choos pre-paid mobile subscriptions worldwide to gain more control on their spending. Usually services requested by pre-paid subscribers are rated by intelligent node platforms in a real-time manner, but the implementation of these systems varies from vendor to vendor and there are several key characteristics which shall be taken into consideration when comparing these systems. This article summarizes some of these major characteristics and gives analytic methods to calculate the number of unit reservation messages and ratings which are important indicators to size (dimension) these systems when a new service is introduced to the mass market. Our analytic calculations are confirmed by simulation results

Fourth Generation Wireless Systems: Requirements and Challenges for the Next Frontier

Fourth generation wireless systems (4G) are likely to reach the consumer market in another 4-5 years. 4G comes with the promise of increased bandwidth, higher speeds, greater interoperability across communication protocols, and user friendly, innovative, and secure applications. In this article, I list the requirements of the 4G systems by considering the needs of the users in the future. These requirements can be met if technical and business challenges can be overcome. Technical challenges include mobility management, quality of service, interoperability, high data rate, security, survivability, spectrum, intelligent mobile devices, middleware, and network access. I discuss the most plausible solutions to these technical challenges in this paper. Business-related challenges include billing, payment methods, pricing, size of investments, content provision and mediation, and the trade-off between richness and reach. If these technical and business challenges can be met, then 4G will become the next frontier in data and voice communication infrastructure