Network data analysis: a foundation for monitoring and securing communication networks

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Network analysis is becoming increasingly important in many disciplines: biology, physics, economics, engineering, computer science. We are building and encountering vast, complex networked systems that involve the multi-faceted interaction of many component parts. Scientific advances rely on successful processing of the often vast datasets that are recorded on these networks. To successfully monitor, operate, and secure modern networks, we require new signal processing algorithms and machine learning techniques. Currently available tools for analyzing distributed data recorded on networks are limited. They struggle to address dynamic networks in which nodes interact in many different ways. In this project, our research group will strive to fill important gaps in the data analysis toolkit that is available for studying large datasets recorded on networks. My research group will demonstrate the value of these tools by developing protocols to help address the emerging cellular network congestion. There has been explosive growth in global data traffic on cellular networks with the rapid adoption of smartphones and tablets. At concerts, sporting events, and in large crowds, cellular networks are struggling to cope with the demand from the data-hungry devices. Service providers have adopted several strategies for transferring data away from their cellular networks, including distributing femtocells and installing new public Wi-Fi networks. As an alternative to deploying new equipment, we will explore a strategy where users relay data to one another using high-rate, low-power local communication. When delay-insensitive content (software updates, popular videos) is desired by numerous people, it can be disseminated through the network through local interactions between users. My proposed research promises to deliver the protocols and tools that will allow Canadian telecom companies to deploy this local exchange content dissemination technology in their networks.