Workshop on Ultra-Large Networks: Challenges and New Research Directions for Modeling and Simulation

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We propose to hold a two-day workshop in Tucson, Arizona during fall 2001 on emerging ultra-largenetworks, such as the Internet. Hosted by Arizona Center for Integrative Modeling and Simulation, themeeting will bring together some of the world's leading researchers in the networking area to meet withcounterparts with expertise in modeling and simulation of networks and of systems more generally. Theworkshop will provide these researchers with the task of coming up with the unknowns of ultra-largenetworks and with new directions of research in modeling and simulation that can address these unknowns. The Internet is increasing in connectivity, toward 1 billion nodes in 2005 and node capability providing ahighly interconnected and computationally powerful medium. Such a globally and ubiquitously dispersednetwork will provide a new frontier for new kinds of educational, commerce and entertainment activities.However, there are many issues that arise in the emergence of such a large, highly decentralized, collectionof interaction parts. The increased connectivity and capability creates new complexity and dynamics thatwe are only on the verge of appreciating. Difficulties in dealing with large-scale software systems are welldocumented in a recent report by the National Research Council. Techniques that work for small softwaresystems fail markedly when the scale is increased by one million fold. Computer-based modeling andsimulation (M&S) methodology is required to address these issues since the scale is well beyond whatanalytical tools alone can handle and there is limited ability to do controlled experiments on the alwayson Internet. Traditional M&S approaches have focussed on the micro-level components rather than themacro level integration of these components. However, with the advent of ultra-large scale systems such asthe Internet of the future, it is necessary to develop M&S approaches for understanding the behaviors ofvery large inter-connected networks with very few loci of control and many interacting and varied sourcesof input and services demand. The results of this workshop are expected to be a set of specific finding of gaps in our knowledge of thebehavior of ultra-large networks and how to deal with their design, management, and control. Participantsmay assess whether current approaches can be evolved to deal with the large increases in scale or whetherdifferent, revolutionary paradigms are required. Participants will address the need for new techniques andapproaches for building models of ultra-large networks and developing simulation environments forstudying their behaviors. Suggestions for borrowing points of view form other areas such as complexadaptive systems and from basic theory of modeling and simulation will be encouraged. The proceedingswill be compiled in a form that will provide a useable and significant guide for new NSF funding initiativesfor future network infrastructure research.