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

最近的研究估计，大多数互联网流量是数字内容分发，其主要组成部分是要求严格的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）的成本过高，以及低成本对等（P2P）网络中缺乏服务保证，导致人们追求两种系统的灵活混合，以寻求利用每种系统的最佳效果。 这样的混合需要跨同行，跨信息，跨共享资源的同行，这形成了本项目的三个研究重点的协调。 该项目的第一个目标是开发一个系统的分析框架，以实现这种协调，使用来自博弈论，学习和随机网络的想法。 其目的是捕获的基本属性的大规模内容分发系统使用分析模型，并绑定在一起的应用程序，如文件共享，流媒体，基于云的服务，和设备到设备的无线网络，通过采用这个框架。 第二种是通过向参与的代理人揭示该制度的价值，为确保经济可行性开出处方。 最后，所制定的基本分析方法将普遍适用于内容分发这一核心问题以外的领域。 分析见解将通过基于智能手机的服务器辅助P2P内容流媒体网络进行验证。 更广泛的影响：该项目得到了一个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在现实世界中最好地应用这些结果。 一个核心组成部分是为高年级和一年级毕业生开设的为期一个学期的课程，其中课堂教学通过在AM-Droiders智能手机实验室开发应用程序来补充研究经验。 外联活动包括在每年为期一周的高中生夏令营中进行演示和说明性项目，以及来自多所大学（包括Prairie View A M，HBCU）的学生可以互动参与的远程研讨会。 该项目通过与工业界的密切合作得到进一步加强。

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.