No. 1 (2013)
Published:
2013-03-30
ARTICLES FROM THIS ISSUE
-
Wireless at the “Connected Games”: How the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Utilized the Latest Wi-Fi Technology
Abstract
The London 2012 Olympic and Paraolympic Games drew together tens of thousands of people in the form of athletes, organisers, media, VIPs, public and many more groups and individuals. With the growth in smart phones and tablets coupled with the ever expanding volume and range of content accessed via Aps and browsers, this huge volume of people expected connectivity from their mobile devices during their time on the Olympic sites. It was BT’s role in the games as the official communications services partner to deliver Wi-Fi connectivity across the venues, covering the range of users from the public, athletes, organisers and ticket scanners. This paper examines this state of the art Wi-Fi solution.
-
Connecting for Surgery: The Belgian Use Case on the Legal Aspects of the Digital Operating Room
Abstract
Telecommunications technology is making its way into operating rooms by new developments in e-health. However, conflicts arise with existing legal principles regarding data protection. This paper deals with key elements of the interactions between data protection and evolution in e-health. The scope will be the digital operating room, where different health services and activities converge through networked technology, raising a number of privacy-related issues. For instance, the patient’s health records and tools for recording surgical procedures could be integrated within the same platform, potentially leading to sensitive personal data linkage. Also the possible duration and reason of storage of surgical recordings, is a matter that remains largely unresolved in current practice. First, this paper will analyze the data exchanges of the digital operating room. As these will include personal patient data, it must be assessed whether and how the European framework on data protection can apply. Second, the regulatory regime of the manufacturers of the devices of the digital operating room will be analyzed. Can the current legal framework relating to e-health provide for suitable regulation for such devices? Drawing from experience gained in research projects, this paper aims to provide practical answers to often theoretical questions.
-
IPv6 Preparation and Deployment in Datacenter Infrastructure – A Practical Approach
Abstract
This article describes the experiences with the initiative to introduce IPv6 into Capgemini’s datacenter environment, and to be more specific, the part of the project known as Phase 1: the preparation before actually doing so. Phase 1 comprises of training, testing and research of the IPv6 protocol and its features with the purpose to better understand the consequences of the introduction of IPv6 in a datacenter environment. It was a specific choice to not deploy IPv6 in a production environment, and to build a dedicated test environment first (Proof of Concept). This test environment would accommodate most basic features of IPv6 to safely prepare us for the actual deployment. The technical results of the IPv6 experience were documented in a structured way, useable for future reference. Test results were also used as input to develop Capgemini best practices for IPv6 deployment.
-
The Goals and Benefits of Network Modelling in a Commercial Environment
Abstract
Modelling is a technique that can be used in the development and sizing of networks. It involves building a mathematical representation of a physical system and is often computer based, allowing system behaviour to be investigated based on the variation of key parameters. This paper will describe some applicable tools for network modelling and consider a range of applications. Whilst modelling and simulation tools are used extensively to design and size ICT solutions, each tool tends to be targeted at a specific range of applications and a specific user community. It is shown that different tools expect different levels of expertise from their user communities. The benefits of using such tools are described, as are some of their limitations. Modelling and simulation provide a cheaper and faster approach to trying new ideas than building prototypes or test networks. They provide a valuable guide to designing networks and can predict operational outcomes.
-
Reliable and High QoS Wireless Communications over Harsh Environments
Abstract
One of the most challenging research fields in which research community has taken a very active role is focused on trying to bring the features of wireless networks into line with the traditional wired solutions. Given the noisy and lossy nature of the wireless medium, it is more difficult to provide a comparable Quality of Service (QoS) and Reliability over wireless networks. This lack of reliability avoids the use of wireless solution in scenarios under harsh environment and mission-critical applications. In this paper we propose an inter-node collaborative schema with the aim of improving the achievable QoS level for multicast streaming, through the use of Network Coding and the algebra it is based on. We also present an implementation of the described algorithm on the OPNET discrete event simulation tool. Experimental results highlighting the performance achieved by the proposed algorithm and its improved efficiency as compared to other solutions are described.
-
On the Optimal Design of a Broadcast Data Dissemination System over VANET Providing V2V and V2I Communications “The Vision of Rome as a Smart City”
Abstract
In different this paper we present the performance evaluation study of a simple broadcast data dissemination technique in new emerging Vehicular Ad hoc Networks (VANETs). Differently from the traditional Mobile Ad hoc NETworks (MANETs), VANETs require particular routing protocols, due to the high dynamism of the network topology, and to different traffic and mobility patterns. For safety and emergency message applications, broadcast data dissemination is an important key factor in VANETs. However, the design of optimal deployment of relay nodes in different network scenarios allows to enhance system performance. At this aim, this work analyzes vehicular network performances in terms of throughput and delays, for different traffic scenarios, exploiting both inter-vehicular communications, as well as the availability of fixed network infrastructure.
-
Innovative Method of the Evaluation of Multicriterial Multicast Routing Algorithms
Abstract
Theoretical considerations of the multicast Quality of Service (QoS) routing have been a rapidly developing and dynamic research area for years. Several algorithms derived from different approaches have been proposed, while the pool of valid solutions to the problem is steadily growing. When new solutions are compared with their predecessors, as much information as possible about their characteristics and differences is needed. Both the graph theory and the optimization theory provide robust and objective means of comparing not only algorithms, but also the results they produce. However, any possible extension to the comparison methods is vital and can bring interesting new information that would eventually lead to innovative conclusions. This article presents a method, derived from practice and experience, that simulates the drainage of resources accumulated by consecutive communication allocations. The nature of this comparison is an extension to the classical measurement of the success ratio and this creates a context of the continuous measure of a success rather than a simple binary value. In this article such a method with regard to algorithms optimizing multicast problems for more than two criteria is used for the first time and leads to an interesting conclusion about the influence of the number of the criteria on the result.
-
Recurrent Method for Blocking Probability Calculation in Switching Networks with Overflow Links
Abstract
This article presents a new recurrent method for modelling multi-service switching networks with overflow links. In the proposed method, the blocking probability for a given stage of the switching network is determined on the basis of the characteristics of the preceding stage. A particular attention is given to a possibility of a considerable reduction of the internal blocking probability of the switching network that would result from an application of additional overflow links between neighbouring switches of the first stage of the network. The results of the analytical modelling of selected multi-service switching networks with overflow links in the first stage are compared with the results of the simulation experiments. The study confirms the accuracy of all the adopted theoretical assumptions in the proposed analytical model of the multi-service switching network.
-
Blind Estimation of Linear and Nonlinear Sparse Channels
Abstract
This paper presents a Clustering Based Blind Channel Estimator for a special case of sparse channels – the zero pad channels. The proposed algorithm uses an unsupervised clustering technique for the estimation of data clusters. Clusters labelling is performed by a Hidden Markov Model of the observation sequence appropriately modified to exploit channel sparsity. The algorithm achieves a substantial complexity reduction compared to the fully evaluated technique. The proposed algorithm is used in conjunction with a Parallel Trellis Viterbi Algorithm for data detection and simulation results show that the overall scheme exhibits the reduced complexity benefits without performance reduction.
-
Hidden Context Influence on Pattern Recognition
Abstract
The influence of hidden additional information concerning the circumstances of input data acquisition on the quality of decisions based on the data is considered. An analogue to the intuition influencing natural decision making is indicated. The problem of contextual information in decision making based on Bayes rule, on reference data sets in various applications as well as of scene analysis by numerous examples is illustrated.
-
Traffic Analysis in the Network of a Local Voice over Internet Protocol Operator
Abstract
Voice over Internet Protocol market is growing rapidly. This article is the initial step towards creating a method for modeling systems for Voice over Internet Protocol operators. The purpose of this research is to gather statistics of a live VoIP-operator system, analyze them and determine if it is possible to create a specific model of such system using traditional approach. After evaluation, the data will be used, in future research, to create an analytical model of VoIP-based telecommunications system.
-
Diversity of Temporal and Territorial Social Penetration Rates of Information Technology in Europe
Abstract
This paper presents the diversity of social penetration rates of information and communication technologies (ICT) among selected European countries according to European statistics on diverse ICT indicators. The data considered cover the 2006–2010 time range and was obtained from the Eurostat portal. The scope of the study selected EU countries – Belgium, Germany, France, Finland, Sweden, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, Spain. The following ICT indicators were analyzed: percentage of households or corporations with broadband access to the Internet (HHBAI), percentage of individuals who are regularly using the Internet (IRUI), percentage of individuals who ordered goods or services over the Internet (IOGSI). These indicators of ICT penetration rate in the countries examined were analyzed in terms of the following aspects: forecasting (estimates until the year 2035) , maximum speed of change of these indicators (the pace of social penetration of information technology), delays or advances (in years) as compared to the averages in EU. The results are presented in tables and graphs. General conclusions and directions of future research are indicated at the end of the paper.
-
Performance and Limitations of VDSL2-based Next Generation Access Networks
Abstract
In this paper, we first briefly review the main operational aspects of FTTC (xPON)/VDSL2 access networks. Then, we present performance measurements with respect to network sub loop operating length and VDSL2 operational profiles (8b, 12a, 17a), studying the rates that can be achieved at different scenarios. We then provide results of the effect of stationary crosstalk and non-stationary impulse noise on the provisioned service in an operating VDSL2 access network.
