CAREER: Beyond Akamai and BitTorrent: Information and Decision Dynamics in Content Distribution Networks

最近的研究估计，互联网流量的大部分是数字内容分发，其主要组成部分是需要紧迫时间期限的应用程序，如内容流和实时服务。始终可用的基于服务器的内容分发网络(CDN)的过高成本，以及低成本对等(P2P)网络中缺乏服务保证，导致人们追求这两种系统的灵活混合，寻求利用各自的最佳优势。这样的混合需要跨同行、跨信息和跨同行可用的共享资源进行协调，这构成了该项目的三个研究推动力。该项目的第一个目标是利用博弈论、学习和随机网络中的思想，开发一个系统的分析框架来实现这种协调。其目的是使用分析模型捕获大规模内容分发系统的基本属性，并通过使用此框架将文件共享、流、基于云的服务和设备到设备无线网络等应用绑定在一起。第二是通过向参与机构披露该体系的价值，为确保经济可行性开出药方。最后，开发的基本分析方法将普遍适用于内容分发这一核心问题之外。分析的见解将通过基于智能手机的服务器辅助的P2P内容流媒体网络进行验证。更广泛的影响：该项目得到了教育和外联议程的支持，该议程旨在使学生熟悉所开发的分析结果以及如何最好地将其应用于现实世界。其中一个核心部分是为大四学生和一年级毕业生开设的为期一学期的课程，通过AM-Droiders智能手机实验室的应用程序开发，课堂教学与研究经验相辅相成。外展活动包括每年为期一周的高中生夏令营的示范和说明性项目，以及远程研讨会，来自多所大学(包括HBCU的Prairie View A&Amp；M)的学生可以互动参加。通过与工业界的密切合作，该项目得到了进一步加强。

Recent studies estimate that a majority of Internet traffic is digital content distribution, whose dominant component is applications that require tight time deadlines, such as content streaming and realtime services. Excessive costs of always-available server-based content distribution networks (CDNs), and a lack of service guarantees in low-cost peer-to-peer (P2P) networks have led the pursuit of agile hybrids of both systems that seek to leverage the best of each. Such a hybrid requires coordination across peers, across information, and across shared resources available to the peers, which form the three research thrusts of this project. The first objective of this project is the development of a systematic analytical framework to achieve this coordination, using ideas drawn from game theory, learning and stochastic networks. The aim is to capture the fundamental properties of large-scale content distribution systems using analytical models, and bind together applications such as file sharing, streaming, cloud-based services, and device-to-device wireless networks by employing this framework. The second is to generate prescriptions for ensuring economic viability by using revelations on the value of the system to participating agents. Finally, the basic analytical methodology developed will be applicable generally beyond the core problem of content distribution. The analytical insights will be validated via a smart-phone-based server-assisted P2P content streaming network. Broader Impact: The project is supported by an education and outreach agenda that aims at familiarizing students with analytical results developed and how best to apply them in a real-world setting. A core component is a semester-long course for seniors and first-year grads in which classroom teaching is complemented by research experience through app development at the AM-Droiders smart-phone laboratory. Outreach includes demonstrations and illustrative projects at a yearly week-long summer camp for high school students, as well as tele-seminars in which students from multiple universities (including Prairie View A&M, an HBCU) can participate interactively. The project is further enhanced by strong collaborations with industry.