CAREER: Network Coding Mechanisms for the Internet

University Of California-Irvine, Irvine CA

Investigators

Abstract

Today's networks are all based on the same fundamental principle: the network forwards data but the information itself is processed only at the end-nodes. The network coding paradigm breaks this assumption by enabling intermediate nodes to process and combine incoming packets into one or more outgoing packets. This idea has generated significant interest originally in the information theory and computer science communities and more recently in the networking community, when it was demonstrated that it can improve the performance of peer-to-peer and wireless mesh networks. However, network coding does not come for free: it adds complexity, increases processing and storage costs, and requires that we re-think the protocol stack. Currently, the full potential and limitations of network coding in the Internet are still poorly understood. The goal of this research is to bridge this gap between the theory and practice. The project starts by identifying application areas that can benefit from network coding, including network security, multimedia delivery, and network inference. It designs novel network coding mechanisms to solve practical problems in each area and evaluates the cost-benefit tradeoffs. Building on this experience, the project then identifies common building blocks and studies deployment and architectural issues. Intellectual Merit: the project designs innovative mechanisms based on network coding. It also studies the role of network coding in the future Internet architecture. Broader Impacts: The project integrates graduate student training, interactions with industry and foreign academic institutions, and course development. Results will be disseminated through research publications and communication with industry.