Comparison of User Traffic Characteristics on Mobile-Access versus Fixed-Access Networks

We compare Web traffic characteristics of mobile- versus fixed-access end-hosts, where herein the term "mobile" refers to access via cell towers, using for example the 3G/UMTS standard, and the term "fixed" includes Wi-Fi access. It is well-known that connection speeds are in general slower over mobile-access networks, and also that often there is higher packet loss. We were curious whether this leads mobile-access users to have smaller connections. We examined the distribution of the number of bytes-per-connection, and packet loss from a sampling of logs from servers of Akamai Technologies. We obtained 149 million connections, across 57 countries. The mean bytes-per-connection was typically larger for fixed-access: for two-thirds of the countries, it was at least one-third larger. Regarding distributions, we found that the difference between the bytes-per-connection for mobile- versus fixed-access, as well as the packet loss, was statistically significant for each of the countries; however the visual difference in plots is typically small. For some countries, mobile-access had the larger connections. As expected, mobile-access often had higher loss than fixed-access, but the reverse pertained for some countries. Typically packet loss increased during the busy period of the day, when mobile-access had a larger increase. Comparing our results from 2010 to those from 2009 of the same time period, we found that connections have become a bit smaller

Mobile Internet Usage - Network Traffic Measurements

Perustavanlaatuisia muutoksia on tapahtumassa tietoliikennetoimialalla kun Internet ja mobiili konvergoituvat. Matkapuhelimet ovat kehittymässä multimediatietokoneiksi ja kannettavat tietokoneet muuttuvat pienemmiksi ja sisältävät kasvavissa määrin liitettävyyden matkapuhelinverkkoon. Kun samaan aikaan mobiililaajakaistojen hinnat ovat laskeneet ja tarjotut kaistannopeudet kasvaneet, mobiilin Internetin käyttö on lisääntynyt nopeasti viimeisten parin vuoden aikana. Uusia tulonlähteitä etsiessä teollisuuden eri sidosryhmät ovat kiinnostuneita mittauksista jotka voivat auttaa ymmärtämään mobiilin Internetin käyttöä. Tämä diplomityö keskittyy mobiiliverkon liikennemittauksiin ja niiden soveltuvuuden tutkimiseen markkinatiedon tuottamisessa eri sidosryhmille. Työssä analysoidaan suomalaisissa mobiiliverkoissa tehtyjä liikennemittauksia ja tuotetaan statistiikkaa mobiilin Internetin käytöstä. Lisäksi nykyisen mittausjärjestelyn ominaisuuksia analysoidaan, mahdolliset mittausten kehittämisalueet luokitellaan ja suosituksia esitetään mittausten kehittämiseksi. Statistiikat Suomen mobiilii-Internetin käytöstä osoittivat että tietokoneet generoivat suurimman osan Suomen liikennevolyymistä, kun taas matkapuhelinten tuottaman liikenteen osuus on alle prosentti. Symbian-käyttöjärjestelmä dominoi matkapuhelinten käyttöä joka on web-orientoitunutta. Muitakin web-liikenteen luokkia kuin web-selailua, kuten email- ja muuta synkronointiliikennettä, huomattiin käytettävän matkapuhelimilla. Perinteiset kotimaiset mediatalot, sosiaalisen median sivustot ja Nokia ovat suosituimpien web-sisällöntuottajien joukossa. Koska eri mittauspisteet mobiiliverkossa tuottavat eri tarkkuustason tietoa, täytyy mittausprosessiin liittyvät valinnat tehdä mittauksen tavoitteiden mukaan. Jos kehittynyt analyysi on tarpeen, mittausten olisi suositeltavaa suoritettavan pisteessä jossa käyttäjien tunnistaminen on mahdollista, kun taas pelkästä IP-liikenteestä saatavat tulokset ovat riittäviä yleisempään markkinan kuvaamiseen. Mobiilioperaattorin kannalta yhtäjaksoiset ja automatisoidut mittaukset mahdollistaisivat tulosten hyväksikäyttämisen useissa eri yrityksen toiminnoissa. Yleisesti liikennemittausten mahdollisuudet ovat laajat, mutta toisaalta täyden hyödyn saavuttamiseksi resurssivaateet saattavat olla suuria. Liikennemittaukset voivat kuitenkin tuottaa tietoa ja tukea operaattoreita päätöksenteossa ja liiketoiminnan kehittämisessä.Fundamental transformations are taking place in the telecommunication domain as the Internet and mobile industries are converging. Mobile phones are developing into multimedia computers and laptops are getting smaller with cellular connectivity, increasing the amount of mobile Internet capable devices. Furthermore, as mobile broadband prices have decreased and offered bandwidths increased, also the usage of mobile Internet has been increasing rapidly during the past couple of years. In search for new revenue sources, various industry stakeholders are interested in measurements that can help understanding the mobile Internet usage patterns. This thesis focuses on mobile network traffic measurements and studies their applicability for providing market understanding for the different stakeholders. First, measurements from operational Finnish mobile networks are analyzed to provide factual statistics on the usage patterns of the Finnish market. Second, the properties of the existing measurement organization are analyzed, possible measurement design and development areas are classified, and recommendations are provided for further development of the measurements. The factual statistics showed that most of the Finnish mobile Internet usage traffic volume is generated by computers, whereas the share of mobile handset generated traffic is less than one percent. Symbian operating system dominates the web oriented mobile handset usage. Traditional Finnish media houses, social media sites, and Nokia are among the most popular content providers for web usage. In addition, also other web traffic classes than web browsing, such as email and synchronization, were observed to be used by mobile handsets. As different measurement points in a mobile network provide different data granularity, the choices related to the measurement have to be made according to the objectives of the measurement. If advanced analysis is needed, the measurements are recommended to be conducted at a point in the mobile network where user identification is possible, whereas total traffic level patterns from IP traffic are adequate for general market description. From a mobile operator viewpoint, automated and continuous data collection and analysis could enable utilization of the results in multiple corporate functions. In general, the possibilities of traffic measurements are vast. On the other hand, they may require a lot of resources to succeed in their full potential. Nevertheless, mobile network traffic measurements can provide intelligence and support for operators in their decision making and business development

Emerging technologies for learning (volume 1)

Collection of 5 articles on emerging technologies and trend

Mobiilin Internetin käytön mittaukset Suomessa

Mobile Internet is the outcome of two intense and global trends of the recent years: mobile/wireless and the Internet. Despite the potential the hundreds of millions of new mobile devices sold globally each year present, little information on mobile data service usage apart from mobile operator portals is currently available. In this research, mobile Internet usage was measured in fall 2005 using three fundamentally different methods to answer the question What are the characteristics of consumer mobile Internet usage in Finland? First, data on 80-90% of all Finnish mobile subscribers and terminals was collected with mobile operators' charging-oriented reporting systems. The observed Finnish mobile terminal installed base was old and did not widely support key features for data usage as e.g. packet data capability was in 48% and WCDMA capability in less than 1% of terminals. Nokia's market share was a remarkable 87%. Smartphones constituted 6% of all terminals, over 99% of which were Nokia's Symbian handsets and one third of these Nokia communicators. The terminal base was fairly concentrated as the 50 most common models made up 88% of all terminals. Some 92-94% of all mobile subscribers were postpaid subscribers, 75% of them consumers. While 99% of consumers had operators' default usage-based packet data tariff plan, the remaining 1% created 82% of all consumer subscriber packet data traffic. Second, 50% of all Finnish mobile network packet data traffic was captured in TCP/IP header collection -based measurements. Strikingly, the Windows operating system originated 65% of all packet data traffic in mobile networks. Moreover, VPN usage created 46% of traffic volume leading to a very high 85% share of UDP traffic. The Internet APN accounted for 90% of all packet data traffic. Third, a panel of 500 Finnish Symbian S60 handsets was monitored with software installed in the handsets. Panelists with higher radio capability handsets used packet data more frequently and in higher volumes. Data usage volumes were also higher for users with relatively cheaper fixed fee packet data plans. Operator sites and infotainment dominated web/wap site visits with 32% and 33% shares of all visits. Using handset as a modem formed a 21-25% part of all smartphone data traffic. The most active 20% of data users created 80% of traffic, even when modem traffic was excluded. Browsing was the most important data application area with a 72% share of non-modem traffic, and its relative share increased with data usage volume. In conclusion, Finnish mobile data usage is currently business driven. Traffic to non-operator controlled sites appears to be important. The usage of 3G terminals and effectively flat-rate packet data tariffs seems to increase data usage considerably, and browser is a central application also in mobiles. Mobile operators are recommended to include items on off portal traffic to their regular reporting. Similar measurements enabling evaluation of the development of Finnish mobile data usage should be repeated. The measurement methods could also be productized or sold to operators as a service by a 3rd party. Potential ways to utilize the handset-based data are numerous.Mobiili Internet on seurausta kahden viimeaikaisen voimakkaan ja globaalin trendin, liikkuvuuden ja Internetin yhdistymisestä. Huolimatta satojen miljoonien vuosittain globaalisti myytyjen mobiililaitteiden edustamasta potentiaalista, operaattoreiden portaalien ulkopuolista mobiilien datapalveluiden käyttöä ei tunneta hyvin. Tässä tutkimuksessa mitattiin mobiilin Internetin käyttöä syksyllä 2005 käyttäen kolmea erilaista menetelmää vastattaessa kysymykseen Mitkä ovat mobiilin Internetin kuluttajakäytön ominaispiirteet Suomessa? Ensimmäiseksi, mobiilioperaattoreiden laskutukseen perustuvien raportointijärjestelmien avulla kerättiin aineistoa 80-90% Suomen mobiilitilaajista ja -päätelaitteista. Suomen päätelaitekanta havaittiin vanhaksi ja datakäytölle keskeiset ominaisuudet rajallisesti levinneiksi, sillä pakettidatakyvykkyys oli 48% ja WCDMA kyvykkyys vain 1% päätelaitteista. Nokian markkinaosuus oli huomattava 87%. Kaikista päätelaitteista älypuhelimia oli 6%, joista 99% oli Nokian Symbian puhelimia ja näistä kolmannes Nokian kommunikaattoreita. Päätelaitekanta oli varsin keskittynyt 50 yleisimmän mallin vastatessa 88% kaikista päätelaitteista. Mobiilitilaajista 92-94% oli postpaid-tilaajia, 75% heistä kuluttajia. Vaikka 99% kuluttajista oli oletusarvoisen käyttöperusteisen pakettidatahinnoittelun piirissä, loput 1% loi 82% kuluttajatilaajien pakettidataliikenteestä. Toiseksi, 50% suomalaisten mobiiliverkkojen pakettidataliikenteestä mitattiin keräämällä TCP/IP otsakkeita. Silmäänpistävin tulos oli Windows-käyttöjärjestelmän 65% osuus kaikesta pakettidataliikenteestä. VPN-käyttö loi 46% liikennevolyymistä johtaen UDP-liikenteen hyvin korkeaan 85% osuuteen. Internet APN vastasi 90% kaikesta pakettidataliikenteestä. Kolmanneksi, 500 suomalaisen Symbian S60 puhelimen paneelia monitoroitiin puhelimiin asennetulla sovelluksella. Radioltaan kyvykkäämpiä puhelinten käyttäjät käyttivät pakettidataa useammin ja enemmän. Datakäytön volyymit olivat korkeampia suhteellisesti halvemman kiinteän hinnoittelun käyttäjillä. Operaattoreiden sivustot ja tietoviihde hallitsisivat web/wap käyttöä 32% ja 33% osuuksilla kaikista vierailuista. Modeemikäyttö muodosti 21-25% osuuden kaikesta älypuhelinten dataliikenteestä. Aktiivisin 20% datakäyttäjistä loi 80% liikenteestä, myös kun modeemikäyttöä ei huomioitu. Selainkäyttö oli tärkein datasovellusalue 72% osuudella ei-modeemiliikenteestä, sen suhteellinen osuus kasvoi datakäytön volyymin myötä. Suomalainen mobiilidatakäyttö on tällä hetkellä yrityskäyttäjävetoista. Operaattoreiden portaalien ulkopuolinen liikenne vaikuttaa tärkeältä. Kolmannen sukupolven päätelaitteiden ja kiinteän hinnoittelun käyttö näyttää kasvattavan datakäyttöä merkittävästi, ja selain on keskeinen sovellus myös mobiilissa. Mobiilioperaattoreiden tulisi liittää portaaliliikenteen ulkopuolinen käyttö sisäiseen raportointiinsa. Vastaavat mittaukset tulisi toistaa mobiilidatakäytön kehittymisen arvioimiseksi. Käytettyjen mittausmenetelmien tuotteistaminen tai myynti palveluna operaattoreille kolmannen osapuolen toimesta on mahdollista. Päätelaitepohjaisella aineistolla on lukuisia käyttökohteita

Animal location and distribution control for an improved management system

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Eletrónica Industrial e de ComputadoresThis dissertation addresses the problem of animal location management and respective distribution control, with special interest on the virtual fence solution based on GPS. As it is known, animals tend to walk wherever they can find food and safety. This can be a problem since they can interfere with other animals and people in general. To prevent unpleasant encounters physical fences were developed, but since they present high maintenance costs and some questionable efficiency, a new technology was developed: virtual fences. In addition, since cattle and sheep graze over large areas animals are often rotated in order to achieve pasture management limitations. Virtual fences help in this matter due to the ease of changing boundaries. The main goal was to develop a virtual fence system where animal’s behaviour can be managed. To achieve this purpose, were developed a collar prototype (CP) with GPS location and GSM communication, a software application and an energetic study. The collar tests revealed good results from GPS localisation and GSM communication, obtaining signal in open fields, house complex areas and inside constructions with different ceiling types. The collar stimuli were applied as expected, taking in consideration the collar localisation in the defined fence. Also, the system efficiency was tested resulting in the expected attribution of time periods accordingly the collar localisation area and stimulus applied. Furthermore, the speed data achieved from the GPS revealed animal behaviour important to deal with control management. The software application revealed efficiency when designing the fence boundaries. The website was considered user-friendly being easy to use, design the fence limits, register the animals and monitor the cattle

On a wildlife tracking and telemetry system : a wireless network approach

Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references (p. 239-261).Motivated by the diversity of animals, a hybrid wildlife tracking system, EcoLocate, is proposed, with lightweight VHF-like tags and high performance GPS enabled tags, bound by a common wireless network design. Tags transfer information amongst one another in a multi-hop store-and-forward fashion, and can also monitor the presence of one another, enabling social behaviour studies to be conducted. Information can be gathered from any sensor variable of interest (such as temperature, water level, activity and so on) and forwarded through the network, thus leading to more effective game reserve monitoring. Six classes of tracking tags are presented, varying in weight and functionality, but derived from a common set of code, which facilitates modular tag design and deployment. The link between the tags means that tags can dynamically choose their class based on their remaining energy, prolonging lifetime in the network at the cost of a reduction in function. Lightweight, low functionality tags (that can be placed on small animals) use the capabilities of heavier, high functionality devices (placed on larger animals) to transfer their information. EcoLocate is a modular approach to animal tracking and sensing and it is shown how the same common technology can be used for diverse studies, from simple VHF-like activity research to full social and behavioural research using wireless networks to relay data to the end user. The network is not restricted to only tracking animals – environmental variables, people and vehicles can all be monitored, allowing for rich wildlife tracking studies

A Wearer-Centred Framework to Design for Wearability in Animal Biotelemetry

In a technological era, monitoring animals for scientific, husbandry, or caring reasons is often done by using tracking systems attached to the animals’ bodies. Remote data acquisition from animals has enhanced the knowledge about their biology and ecology. However, there is evidence that carrying biotelemetry tags affects the welfare of animal wearers and interferes with the validity of recorded data. On welfare and scientific grounds, animal scientists have advocated for the re-design of physical and functional aspects of tags, proposing guidelines aimed at minimising device-induced impacts. However, such guidelines are dispersed and difficult to apply systematically. Hence, there is a need for an approach to systematising the design of animal-borne tags in order to minimise their impact on the wearer. This thesis addresses such a challenge. It draws on the concept of wearability and proposes it as a design goal to develop devices that afford a better wearer experience (WX) for animals. The thesis develops a wearer-centred design framework (WCF) and applies it to demonstrate its usefulness to systematically design for good wearability. Specifically, after the framework’s elements were derived by analysing relevant information in the biotelemetry and interaction design literature, the framework was administered to teams of workshop participants who implemented it to perform a requirements analysis for a cat-tracking device. Workshop requirements served to produce a feline-centred prototype which was tested with cat wearers to investigate their experience of wearing it and thus evaluate its wearability. Outcomes show improvements of the prototype in relation to off-the-shelf devices which were tested in a parallel study. This study established a baseline for investigating a cat WX and highlighted various wearability issues with the off-the-shelf tags. Lastly, this research demonstrates that designers can systematically design for wearability using the WCF therefore supporting the thesis that the reduction of device-related impacts is achievable

History of Computer Art

A large text presents the history of Computer Art. The history of the artistic uses of computers and computing processes is reconstructed from its beginnings in the fifties to its present state. It points out hypertextual, modular and generative modes to use computing processes in Computer Art and features examples of early developments in media like cybernetic sculptures, video tools, computer graphics and animation (including music videos and demos), video and computer games, pervasive games, reactive installations, virtual reality, evolutionary art and net art. The functions of relevant art works are explained more detailed than is usual in such histories. From October 2011 to December 2012 the chapters have been published successively in German (The English translation started in August 2013 and was completed in June 2014)

Network traffic classification : from theory to practice

Since its inception until today, the Internet has been in constant transformation. The analysis and monitoring of data networks try to shed some light on this huge black box of interconnected computers. In particular, the classification of the network traffic has become crucial for understanding the Internet. During the last years, the research community has proposed many solutions to accurately identify and classify the network traffic. However, the continuous evolution of Internet applications and their techniques to avoid detection make their identification a very challenging task, which is far from being completely solved. This thesis addresses the network traffic classification problem from a more practical point of view, filling the gap between the real-world requirements from the network industry, and the research carried out. The first block of this thesis aims to facilitate the deployment of existing techniques in production networks. To achieve this goal, we study the viability of using NetFlow as input in our classification technique, a monitoring protocol already implemented in most routers. Since the application of packet sampling has become almost mandatory in large networks, we also study its impact on the classification and propose a method to improve the accuracy in this scenario. Our results show that it is possible to achieve high accuracy with both sampled and unsampled NetFlow data, despite the limited information provided by NetFlow. Once the classification solution is deployed it is important to maintain its accuracy over time. Current network traffic classification techniques have to be regularly updated to adapt them to traffic changes. The second block of this thesis focuses on this issue with the goal of automatically maintaining the classification solution without human intervention. Using the knowledge of the first block, we propose a classification solution that combines several techniques only using Sampled NetFlow as input for the classification. Then, we show that classification models suffer from temporal and spatial obsolescence and, therefore, we design an autonomic retraining system that is able to automatically update the models and keep the classifier accurate along time. Going one step further, we introduce next the use of stream-based Machine Learning techniques for network traffic classification. In particular, we propose a classification solution based on Hoeffding Adaptive Trees. Apart from the features of stream-based techniques (i.e., process an instance at a time and inspect it only once, with a predefined amount of memory and a bounded amount of time), our technique is able to automatically adapt to the changes in the traffic by using only NetFlow data as input for the classification. The third block of this thesis aims to be a first step towards the impartial validation of state-of-the-art classification techniques. The wide range of techniques, datasets, and ground-truth generators make the comparison of different traffic classifiers a very difficult task. To achieve this goal we evaluate the reliability of different Deep Packet Inspection-based techniques (DPI) commonly used in the literature for ground-truth generation. The results we obtain show that some well-known DPI techniques present several limitations that make them not recommendable as a ground-truth generator in their current state. In addition, we publish some of the datasets used in our evaluations to address the lack of publicly available datasets and make the comparison and validation of existing techniques easier