CAREER: Towards Client-assisted Management in Wireless Networks

University Of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI

Investigators

Abstract

This project focuses on an integrated research, educational, and outreach plan in the design of efficient management techniques in both centrally-administered enterprise wireless networks and un-administered wireless networks, typically at homes, by exploiting hitherto untapped mechanisms --- client participation. Network management involves a range of complex tasks that are often not visible to the user unless there are failures that affect them. Traditionally, network management has been solely performed through specialized entities deployed within the infrastructure. While such an approach is natural for most management tasks, this project demonstrates that unique characteristics of wireless networks, such as time-varying RF behavior, mobility and energy constraints at clients, make such an infrastructure-only management approach quite inadequate. Hence, the project posits that some form of client participation is crucial to efficient design of wireless network management. The core challenges include (i) making such management capability ubiquitous, (ii) ensuring that management overheads at clients are minimal, and (iii) insulating the user from such management processes, while improving the overall manageability of wireless networks. If successful, this project will help significant improve manageability of wireless networks, allow cost cutting of IT departments of enterprises, and eliminate significant .headaches. current home users have in fixing their network problems. The project is also making all software components publicly for use by a broad community of users. Finally, the PI is developing new curriculum in mobile and wireless networking systems that trains the next generation of engineers and scientists with new tools of wireless network management.