Internet Protocol and Application Performance

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Many people, businesses, and governments are now highly-dependent on the Internet for the delivery of information, whether for business, education, or entertainment purposes. Examples of these Internet-based applications include peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing applications (BitTorrent, Gnutella), file hosting services (RapidShare, HotFile), media streaming applications (YouTube, P2PLive, IPTV), on-line social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn), Web-based services, and many more. These innovative applications are widely used. However, these applications can often have unpredictable performance, particularly when users are mobile (e.g., on wireless/cellular networks) or when the network traffic volumes exchanged are large. Many of these network performance problems arise from unexpected interactions between different communication protocols that are used to build Internet applications. The general high-level objectives of my proposed research program are: (1) To measure, characterize, and identify network performance problems in Internet applications; and (2) To propose, analyze, implement, and evaluate innovative and effective solutions to these problems. These general objectives will guide the research exploration across a wide range of Internet technologies and applications, including Web-based systems, P2P systems, media streaming systems, and wireless mobile networks. The research will use a combination of experimental, simulation, and mathematical analysis approaches. Empirical measurement and experimental evaluation will be mainstays in the research. The research program will train MSc and PhD students with the skills needed for success in Canada's ICT sector, developing next-generation Internet technologies and applications.