CAREER: Network Coding Mechanisms for the Internet

今天的网络都基于同样的基本原则：网络转发数据，但信息本身只在终端节点进行处理。网络编码范式通过允许中间节点处理传入数据包并将其组合为一个或多个传出数据包，打破了这一假设。这个想法最初在信息论和计算机科学社区引起了极大的兴趣，最近在网络社区，当它被证明可以提高点对点和无线网状网络的性能时。然而，网络编码并不是免费的：它增加了复杂性，增加了处理和存储成本，并要求我们重新考虑协议栈。目前，人们对互联网中网络编码的全部潜力和局限性仍然知之甚少。本研究的目的是弥合理论与实践之间的差距。该项目首先确定可以从网络编码中受益的应用程序领域，包括网络安全、多媒体交付和网络推理。它设计了新颖的网络编码机制来解决每个领域的实际问题，并评估了成本效益权衡。在此经验的基础上，项目确定公共构建块，并研究部署和体系结构问题。智力优势：项目设计基于网络编码的创新机制。研究了网络编码在未来互联网架构中的作用。更广泛的影响：该项目整合了研究生培养，与业界和国外学术机构的互动，以及课程开发。研究结果将通过研究出版物和与工业界的沟通传播。

Today's networks are all based on the same fundamental principle: the network forwards data but the information itself is processed only at the end-nodes. The network coding paradigm breaks this assumption by enabling intermediate nodes to process and combine incoming packets into one or more outgoing packets. This idea has generated significant interest originally in the information theory and computer science communities and more recently in the networking community, when it was demonstrated that it can improve the performance of peer-to-peer and wireless mesh networks. However, network coding does not come for free: it adds complexity, increases processing and storage costs, and requires that we re-think the protocol stack. Currently, the full potential and limitations of network coding in the Internet are still poorly understood.The goal of this research is to bridge this gap between the theory and practice. The project starts by identifying application areas that can benefit from network coding, including network security, multimedia delivery, and network inference. It designs novel network coding mechanisms to solve practical problems in each area and evaluates the cost-benefit tradeoffs. Building on this experience, the project then identifies common building blocks and studies deployment and architectural issues. Intellectual Merit: the project designs innovative mechanisms based on network coding. It also studies the role of network coding in the future Internet architecture. Broader Impacts: The project integrates graduate student training, interactions with industry and foreign academic institutions, and course development. Results will be disseminated through research publications and communication with industry.