AitF: Full: Algorithms and Probabilistic Semantics for Next-Generation Networks

Cornell University, Ithaca NY

Investigators

Abstract

A common objective in many computer networks is to balance traffic across multiple paths in order to improve throughput, reduce congestion, and achieve higher utilization. Although there is an extensive theoretical literature on how best to route traffic through a capacitated network, most networks today rely on schemes that are easy to implement but do not always perform well in practice. This is due, in part, to the gap between the community of theory researchers who study advanced routing schemes and the community of systems researchers who design, build, and operate networks. This project will advance the theory and practice of routing by developing oblivious and semi-oblivious routing algorithms that can be implemented on top of current hardware. The intellectual merit of this research lies in designing new programming languages based on probabilistic semantics that can be used to express and reason about these algorithms, and engineering implementations for these languages based on software-defined networking platforms. This project will have broad impact on society by producing tools that could help to make networks more reliable and efficient while simplifying network management.