Air Option 1: Technology Translation - Network Deduplication for Smartphones and Tablets

这个PFI: AIR技术翻译项目的重点是为智能手机和平板电脑翻译一种名为Smart-Cache的先进网络重复数据删除（dedup）技术，以满足无线用户数量激增所带来的对更好的无线网络性能不断增长的需求。翻译后的智能缓存解决方案由一套策略组成，将传统的dedup扩展到移动环境，并具有以下独特功能：(1)非对称缓存，允许dedup目的地（dd-dst）向dd-src反馈其缓存的内容，否则可能不知道dedup源（dd-src）。(2) PreActing，即当dd-dst通过低成本的网络接入连接时，允许dd-dst机会性地预取内容，以便当这些内容实际上通过高成本的网络接入时，成本可能会最小化。这两种变体的研究贡献在于底层算法，这些算法是专门为处理移动环境中存在的独特挑战而构建的。初步的基于跟踪的性能分析表明，智能缓存通过将蜂窝网络上的流量消耗减少到85%到96%来显着提高性能。非对称缓存本身比对称缓存提高了125%。该项目通过开发一个可行的智能缓存解决方案原型来实现这一目标，从而解决了该技术商业化过程中一个重要的可信度差距。虽然有几种方法可以实现智能缓存解决方案的产品化，但我们选择构建一个可以被无线网络运营商和第三方解决方案提供商采用的原型。在高层次上，我们建议构建以下内容：-智能缓存服务器：该项目涉及构建一个智能缓存服务器，作为一个独立的网络设备，可以部署在无线运营商网络中，也可以部署在第三方解决方案提供商的代理环境中。构建这样的设备可以在目标环境中进行部署，而不必担心计算资源的可用性。虽然产品形式将是设备的形式，但实现将完全是在Linux操作系统上运行的软件中。因此，如果需要，原型可以很容易地移植到目标环境中的虚拟机上。-智能缓存客户端：该项目涉及为Android和iOS设备构建智能缓存客户端。到目前为止，这两个移动平台主导着移动设备领域。虽然Windows Mobile和黑莓RIM等操作系统是其他相关平台，但在原型工作成功完成后，可以针对这些平台开发或移植解决方案。此次合作与佐治亚理工学院VentureLab合作，为无线市场动态以及商业化和产品化的其他方面提供指导，因为它们与智能缓存的潜力有关，可能会导致竞争激烈的商业现实。智能缓存的潜在经济影响是深远的，这将有助于美国在电信行业的竞争力。无线服务提供商可以采用智能缓存来立即减少昂贵频谱的使用。或者，第三方解决方案提供商可以将智能缓存作为成本和性能优化服务直接提供给最终用户。该项目还做出了以下更广泛的影响贡献：(i)行业：预计85%的企业知识工作者将在未来几年内拥有智能手机。智能缓存的工作将直接惠及广大企业，因为更好的移动接入将提高员工的生产力和客户参与度。（ii）教育：此外，我们看到通过学生积极参与研究和教学，我们的努力对本科生和研究生都产生了积极的影响。

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating an advanced network deduplication (dedup) technology for smartphones and tablets, called Smart-Cache, to fill the ever increasing need for better wireless network performance driven by the explosion in the number of wireless users.The translated smart-cache solution consists of a suite of strategies to extend traditional dedup to mobile environments, and has the following unique features: (1) Asymmetric caching, which allows the dedup destination (dd-dst) to feedback to the dd-src the contents of its cache that otherwise might not be known to the dedup source (dd-src). (2) PreActing, that allows the dd-dst to opportunistically prefetch content when the latter is connected through a low-cost network access so that when such content is actually accessed through a high-cost network, the costs may be minimized. The research contributions of these two variations lie in the underlying algorithms that are purpose-built to handle the unique challenges present in mobile environments. Preliminary trace-based performance analysis shows that smart-cache significantly improves the performance by reducing traffic consumption over cellular networks to the tune of 85% to 96%. Asymmetric caching by itself shows an improvement of 125% over symmetric caching.The project accomplishes this goal by developing a viable prototype of the smart-cache solution so that an important credibility gap in the commercialization process for the technology may be addressed. While there are several avenues for productizing the smart-cache solution, we choose to build a prototype that could be adopted by both wireless network operators and third party solution providers. At a high level, we propose to build the following:- Smart-cache server: The project involves the building of a smart-cache server as a stand-alone network appliance that can be deployed within the wireless operators network or within a proxy environment of a third-party solutions provider. Building such an appliance allows for ready deployment in a target environment without concerns about the availability of computational resources. While the product form will be that of an appliance, the implementation will entirely be in software running on a Linux operating system. Hence, the prototype can easily be ported onto virtual machines in the target environment if necessary. - Smart-cache clients: The project involves the building of a smart-cache client for both Android and iOS devices. These two mobile platforms by far dominate the mobile device landscape today. While operating systems such as Windows Mobile and Blackberry RIM are other relevant platforms, solutions can later be developed or ported for these other platforms after the proposed prototyping effort is successfully accomplished.The partnership engages the Georgia Tech VentureLab to provide guidance in wireless market dynamics and other aspects of commercialization and productization as they pertain to the potential to translate smart-cache along a path that may result in a competitive commercial reality.The potential economic impact of smart-cache is profound, which will contribute to the U.S. competitiveness in telecommunication industry. A wireless service provider could adopt smart-cache to immediately reduce the usage of expensive spectrum. Alternatively, a third party solutions provider could offer smart-cache as a cost and performance optimization service directly to the end-user. The project also makes the following broader impact contributions: (i) Industry: 85% of enterprise knowledge workers are expected to have smartphones within the next few years. The work on smart-cache will directly benefit the broad swathe of enterprises as better mobile access will improve employee productivity and customer engagement. (ii) Education: In addition we see the effort positively impacting both undergraduate and graduate level students through aggressive involvement of the students in both research and teaching.