Hybrid self-organizing feature map (SOM) for anomaly detection in cloud infrastructures using granular clustering based upon value-difference metrics

We have witnessed an increase in the availability of data from diverse sources over the past few years. Cloud computing, big data and Internet-of-Things (IoT) are distinctive cases of such an increase which demand novel approaches for data analytics in order to process and analyze huge volumes of data for security and business use. Cloud computing has been becoming popular for critical structure IT mainly due to cost savings and dynamic scalability. Current offerings, however, are not mature enough with respect to stringent security and resilience requirements. Mechanisms such as anomaly detection hybrid systems are required in order to protect against various challenges that include network based attacks, performance issues and operational anomalies. Such hybrid AI systems include Neural Networks, blackboard systems, belief (Bayesian) networks, case-based reasoning and rule-based systems and can be implemented in a variety of ways. Traffic in the cloud comes from multiple heterogeneous domains and changes rapidly due to the variety of operational characteristics of the tenants using the cloud and the elasticity of the provided services. The underlying detection mechanisms rely upon measurements drawn from multiple sources. However, the characteristics of the distribution of measurements within specific subspaces might be unknown. We argue in this paper that there is a need to cluster the observed data during normal network operation into multiple subspaces each one of them featuring specific local attributes, i.e. granules of information. Clustering is implemented by the inference engine of a model hybrid NN system. Several variations of the so-called value-difference metric (VDM) are investigated like local histograms and the Canberra distance for scalar attributes, the Jaccard distance for binary word attributes, rough sets as well as local histograms over an aggregate ordering distance and the Canberra measure for vectorial attributes. Low-dimensional subspace representations of each group of points (measurements) in the context of anomaly detection in critical cloud implementations is based upon VD metrics and can be either parametric or non-parametric. A novel application of a Self-Organizing-Feature Map (SOFM) of reduced/aggregate ordered sets of objects featuring VD metrics (as obtained from distributed network measurements) is proposed. Each node of the SOFM stands for a structured local distribution of such objects within the input space. The so-called Neighborhood-based Outlier Factor (NOOF) is defined for such reduced/aggregate ordered sets of objects as a value-difference metric of histogrammes. Measurements that do not belong to local distributions are detected as anomalies, i.e. outliers of the trained SOFM. Several methods of subspace clustering using Expectation-Maximization Gaussian Mixture Models (a parametric approach) as well as local data densities (a non-parametric approach) are outlined and compared against the proposed method using data that are obtained from our cloud testbed in emulated anomalous traffic conditions. The results—which are obtained from a model NN system—indicate that the proposed method performs well in comparison with conventional techniques

Modern Video-to-Video Communications to Enhance Citizens’ Quality of Life and Create Opportunities for Growth in “Smart” European Cities

Part 1: IIVC WorkshopInternational audienceThe LiveCity Project effort structures a city-based “Living-Lab” and associated ecosystem to “pilot” and test live interactive high-definition video-to-video (v2v) on ultrafast wireless and wireline Internet infrastructure for the support of suitably selected public service use cases also involving a number of city user communities in five major European cities (Athens, Dublin, Luxembourg (city), Valladolid and Greifswald). The “core” target is to allow the citizens of a city to interact with each other in a more productive, efficient and socially useful way by using v2v over the Internet in a variety of distinct use cases that discussed and analysed, in detail, in the present work

Challenges for enhanced network self-manageability in the scope of future internet development

The work examines perspectives from the inclusion of the autonomicity and self-manageability features in the scope of Future Internet's (FI) deployment. Apart from the strategic importance for further evolution, we also discuss some major future challenges among which is the option for an effective network management (NM), as FI should possess a considerably enhanced network manageability capability. We examine a new network manageability paradigm that allows network elements (NEs) to: be autonomously interrelated/controlled; be dynamically adapted to changing environments, and; learn the desired behaviour over time, based on the original context of the Self-NET research project effort. As self-organizing and self-managing systems have a considerable market impact, we identify benefits for all market actors involved. In addition, we incorporate some recent, but very promising experimental findings, mainly based on the context of a specific use-case for network coverage and capacity optimization, highlighting the way towards developing specific NM-related solutions, able to be adopted by the real market sector. We conclude with some essential arising issues. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Living labs in smart cities as critical enablers for making real the modern future internet

The present position paper discusses several challenges originating from the fast growth of the Future Internet (FI) in the context of ICT, mainly within urban environments where a multiplicity of digital-based opportunities may appear for the benefit of various categories of citizens (corporate and residential) as well as of several legal entities. In particular, we focus upon the concept of actual European Living Labs that can be identified as real "enablers" for the fast growth and the proper adoption and/or implementation of modern FI-based facilities and of related services-products in a variety of domains as well as for a diversity of applications, also covering many innovative ones. Living-Labs can provide a diversity of benefits for the market, the technological evolution and the society, thus enhancing progress and development. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

Self-management in future internet wireless networks: Dynamic resource allocation and traffic routing for multi-service provisioning

Evolution towards the Future (Internet) networks necessitates inclusion of self-management capabilities in modern network infrastructures, for a satisfactory provision of related services and for preserving network performance. We have considered a specific targeted methodology, in the form of the generic cognitive cycle model, which includes three distinct processes (i.e. Monitoring, Decision Making and Execution), known as the "MDE" model, able to support dynamic resource allocation and traffic routing schemes. For further understanding of the issue we have examined two essential use-cases of practical interest, both in the context of modern wireless infrastructures: The former was about dynamic spectrum re-allocation for efficient use of traffic, while the latter has examined intelligent dynamic traffic management for handling network overloads, to avoid congestion. © ICST Institute for Computer Sciences.© Institute for Computer Sciences, Social-Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering 2010

Remote video-to-video eye telemonitoring use case for glaucoma patients

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness globally and the second most common cause of avoidable visual impairment. It also holds a record in noncompliance to therapy from the patients in up to 50% of the subjects treated with anti-glaucoma eye drops. LiveCity e-Health is a European research program, which aims to provide better treatment and follow up of glaucoma patients at their home, through telemonitoring with high definition video-to-video (v2v) communication from the University Hospital. Secondly, it aims to reduce the cost of health and improve the city environment by decreasing the number of visits to the Hospital. For this purpose, a software application has been developed; the latter is easy to use for elderly people at home, and capable of keeping the medical history and digital records of every patient in the Glaucoma Department. In addition, a specific web camera with snapshot ability of high quality photo of the eye has utilised. Two patients have been initially enrolled in the study and the preliminary results are so presented. © IFIP International Federation for Information Processing 2014

Developing Innovative Live Video-to-Video Communications for Smarter European Cities

Part 5: First Intelligent Innovative Ways for Video-to-Video Communication in Modern Smart Cities Workshop (IIVC 2012)International audienceThe LiveCity Project effort intends to create a city-based “Living Lab” and associated ecosystem to pilot live interactive high-definition video-to-video (v2v) on ultrafast wireless and wireline Internet infrastructure for the support of appropriate public service use cases among a number of city user communities initially in four major European cities (Dublin, Athens, Luxembourg (city) and Valladolid). The essential aim is to empower the citizens of a city to interact with each other in a more productive, efficient and socially useful way by using v2v over the Internet, as the latter can be considered to improve city administration, reduce fuel costs and carbon footprint, enhance education, improve city experiences for tourists/cultural consumers and save patients’ lives. LiveCity underpins technology which has the ability to massively scale while it integrates the necessary ingredients in an efficient low-cost manner and provides a proper testing ground for a mass market deployment to the cities in Europe

Video-to-video e-Health applications supporting medical use cases for remote patients

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) relevant to health and healthcare systems can rise their effectiveness, expand quality of life and “reveal” innovation and novelty in modern health-related markets, thus implicating options for further growth. The broadly used term “e-Health” regularly implicates the use of ICT in health products, services to improve health of citizens, efficiency and productivity in healthcare delivery, and the economic and social value of health, in general. In this end, the LiveCity Project aims at empowering the citizens of a city to interact with each other in a more productive, efficient and socially useful way, by using high quality video-to-video (v2v) over the Internet. In this work, the LiveCity platform for e-Health is presented, along with two use cases for remote patients telemonitoring and emergency cases. © IFIP International Federation for Information Processing 2014