Server resource dimensioning and routing of service function chain in NFV network architectures

The Network Function Virtualization (NFV) technology aims at virtualizing the network service with the execution of the single service components in Virtual Machines activated on Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) servers. Any service is represented by the Service Function Chain (SFC) that is a set of VNFs to be executed according to a given order. The running of VNFs needs the instantiation of VNF instances (VNFI) that in general are software components executed on Virtual Machines. In this paper we cope with the routing and resource dimensioning problem in NFV architectures. We formulate the optimization problem and due to its NP-hard complexity, heuristics are proposed for both cases of offline and online traffic demand. We show how the heuristics works correctly by guaranteeing a uniform occupancy of the server processing capacity and the network link bandwidth. A consolidation algorithm for the power consumption minimization is also proposed. The application of the consolidation algorithm allows for a high power consumption saving that however is to be paid with an increase in SFC blocking probability

Modelling vessel fleet composition for maintenance operations at offshore wind farms

Chartering a vessel fleet to support maintenance operations at offshore wind farms (OWF's) constitutes one of the major costs of maintaining this type of installations. Literature describes deterministic optimization models based on complete information within scenarios to schedule the maintenance and support decisions on the vessel fleet composition. The operations to be carried out can be classified as preventive and corrective tasks. The first type aims at reducing the likelihood of breakdowns and to prolong the life of turbine components. Corrective tasks are needed to repair breakdowns in turbines when they occur. Our research question is how to generate a vessel fleet composition, where the evaluation is based on scheduling without complete information. Such a model is a bi-level decision problem. On the first (tactical) level, decisions are made on the fleet composition for a certain time horizon. On the second (operational) level, the fleet is used to schedule the operations needed at the OWF, given random events of failures and weather conditions. A scenario based approach allows evaluation by parallel operational scheduling for each scenario..Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Spanish Ministry (TIN2015-66680

Beyond economic sustainability: embedding social and environmental values in the governance of responsible investment

The transition of global financial markets towards investment models that incorporate environmental and social dimensions is now well underway. This paper discusses the evolution of contemporary responsible investment (RI) and its relationship to sustainable development and environmental social governance(ESG). In the conception of ESG presented here, various well-known institutional arrangements, most notably interest representation, accountability and transparency, decision-making, and implementation are linked to the structures and processes of governance. Using a hierarchical framework of principles, criteria and indicators (PC&I), the paper presents a means for evaluating RI by way of an analysis of stakeholder perceptions regarding the sector’s governance quality. It concludes with some observations on the challenges confronting RI, notably the need for universally consistent quality of governance standards

Management of a capital stock by Strotz's naive planner

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jedc.2007.09.01

Task planning using physics-based heuristics on manipulation actions

© 2016 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.In order to solve mobile manipulation problems, the efficient combination of task and motion planning is usually required. Moreover, the incorporation of physics-based information has recently been taken into account in order to plan the tasks in a more realistic way. In the present paper, a task and motion planning framework is proposed based on a modified version of the Fast-Forward task planner that is guided by physics-based knowledge. The proposal uses manipulation knowledge for reasoning on symbolic literals (both in offline and online modes) taking into account geometric information in order to evaluate the applicability as well as feasibility of actions while evaluating the heuristic cost. It results in an efficient search of the state space and in the obtention of low-cost physically-feasible plans. The proposal has been implemented and is illustrated with a manipulation problem consisting of a mobile robot and some fixed and manipulatable objects.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Citizen science and natural resource governance: program design for vernal pool policy innovation

Effective natural resource policy depends on knowing what is needed to sustain a resource and building the capacity to identify, develop, and implement flexible policies. This retrospective case study applies resilience concepts to a 16-year citizen science program and vernal pool regulatory development process in Maine, USA. We describe how citizen science improved adaptive capacities for innovative and effective policies to regulate vernal pools. We identified two core program elements that allowed people to act within narrow windows of opportunity for policy transformation, including (1) the simultaneous generation of useful, credible scientific knowledge and construction of networks among diverse institutions, and (2) the formation of diverse leadership that promoted individual and collective abilities to identify problems and propose policy solutions. If citizen science program leaders want to promote social-ecological systems resilience and natural resource policies as outcomes, we recommend they create a system for internal project evaluation, publish scientific studies using citizen science data, pursue resources for program sustainability, and plan for leadership diversity and informal networks to foster adaptive governance. Effective natural resource policy depends on knowing what is needed to sustain a resource and building the capacity to identify, develop, and implement flexible policies. This retrospective case study applies resilience concepts to a 16-year citizen science program and vernal pool regulatory development process in Maine, USA. We describe how citizen science improved adaptive capacities for innovative and effective policies to regulate vernal pools. We identified two core program elements that allowed people to act within narrow windows of opportunity for policy transformation, including (1) the simultaneous generation of useful, credible scientific knowledge and construction of networks among diverse institutions, and (2) the formation of diverse leadership that promoted individual and collective abilities to identify problems and propose policy solutions. If citizen science program leaders want to promote social-ecological systems resilience and natural resource policies as outcomes, we recommend they create a system for internal project evaluation, publish scientific studies using citizen science data, pursue resources for program sustainability, and plan for leadership diversity and informal networks to foster adaptive governance

Base and surge strategies for controlling environmental and economic costs in logistics triads

The aim of this paper is to determine the extent to which it is possible to establish a ‘base’ and ‘surge’ strategy for logistics provision with a particular emphasis on minimising environmental and economic costs. Our method is the combination of empirical research outputs on the impact of uncertainty on economic and environmental costs, and a synthesis of the literature on resilience and the role of flexibility therein. We find that logistics planners either build contingents into their schedules (a priori) or that they respond with contingencies (a posteriori). The former is associated with a ‘base‘ approach; an example of which may be the incorporation of ‘slack time‘ into a schedule to accommodate expected delays due to road congestion. The latter is equivalent to a ‘surge‘ approach where as an example the logistics provider may have capacity flexibility, in the form of spare vehicles, to accommodate post-plan changes in shipper volume requirements. This paper explicitly rationalises the links between uncertainty, ‘base’ and ‘surge’ supply chain strategies, and the strategic use of logistics flexibility, in minimising environmental and economic costs in a logistics triad. The output is in the form of a conceptual managerial feedback control system

Creative Placemaking: Building Partnerships to Create Change

Arts, artists, and creative strategies can be critical vehicles for planning to achieve social, economic, and community goals. Creative placemaking is one type of arts-led planning that incorporates both stakeholder participation and community goals. Yet, questions exist around who participates in the creative placemaking process and to what end. Our study discusses a case where a state-sponsored workshop brings people from diverse backgrounds together to facilitate community development and engagement through creative placemaking. In particular, the event discussed in this study highlights how a one-shot intervention can reshape perceptions of creative placemaking held by planners, non-planners, artists, and non-artists. Our study also shows that while pre-workshop participants tended to identify resource-based challenges, post-workshop participants focused more on initiating collaborations and being responsive to community needs. The different attitudes before and after the state-sponsored workshop demonstrate the importance of facilitating stakeholder understanding and engagement for successful creative placemaking

Supporting Universities and Employers to Measure the Value of Postgraduate Placements

A 'Return on Investment' toolkit for HEI's to identify and quantify the benefits to employers of investing in postgraduate education. This was one of two toolkits funded by HEFCE under the Postgraduate Support Scheme.HEFC