Stuart Clayman

University College London | UCL · Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering

This paper describes the effects of running in-network quality adaption by trimming the packets of layered video streams at the edge. The video stream is transmitted using the BPP transport protocol, which is like UDP, but has been designed to be both amenable to trimming and to provide low-latency and high reliability. The traffic adaption uses th...

This paper presents new techniques and mechanisms for carrying streams of layered video using Scalable Video Coding (SVC) from servers to clients, utilizing the Packet Wash mechanism which is part of the Big Packet Protocol (BPP). BPP was designed to handle the transfer of packets for high-bandwidth, low-latency applications, aiming to overcome a n...

With the deployment of network slicing in the fifth generation (5G) systems, telecom operators can partition their physical infrastructure into some distinct network services. However, the advantages of network slicing come at the price of higher complexity in operating and managing telecom networks. To cope with such complexity, the ETSI Zero-touc...

Fog computing, combined with traditional cloud computing, offers an inherently distributed infrastructure – referred to as the cloud-to-edge continuum – that can be used for the execution of low-latency and location-aware IoT services. The management of such an infrastructure is complex: resources in multiple domains need to be accessed by several...

Network Function Virtualization (NFV) offers flexibility in traffic engineering and network resource management, by taking advantage of Software Defined Networking (SDN). By using these network technologies, it is possible to enhance the performance of video streaming applications by placing network functions in suitable locations and rerouting flo...

The possibility of managing network infrastructures through software-based programmable interfaces is becoming a cornerstone in the evolution of communication networks. The Intent-Based Networking (IBN) paradigm is a novel declarative approach towards network management proposed by a few Standards Developing Organizations. This paradigm offers a hi...

This paper describes the effects of the Packet Wash process on the transmission of layered SVC video streams. We show how the packet size is adapted when using a number of different packing strategies, that map the video data into the BPP packets, and discuss the relationship between the packing strategies on the sender side and the chunk removal i...

This paper investigates how to carry streams of layered video using Scalable Video Coding (SVC) from servers to clients, utilizing the Packet Wash mechanism devised for the Big Packet Protocol (BPP). The mechanisms utilized are presented together with the video’s path through the network. BPP was designed to handle the transfer of packets for high-...

Edge microservice applications are becoming a viable solution for the execution of real-time IoT analytics, due to their rapid response and reduced latency. With Edge Computing, unlike the central Cloud, the amount of available resource is constrained and the computation that can be undertaken is also limited. Microservices are not standalone, they...

This paper describes the use of the Big Packet Protocol (BPP) for carrying video from servers to clients, and how SDN controllers can effectively manage the flow-rate and QoE, based on the available bandwidth. BPP relies on meta-data being injected into packets in order to provide information for network nodes on how to process those packets. Given...

The essence of this work is to show how SVC Scalable Video can be adaptated in the network in an effective way, when the Big Packet Protocol (BPP) is used. This demo shows the advantages of BPP, which is a recently proposed transport protocol devised for realtime applications. We will show that in-network adaption can be provided using this new pro...

Big Packet Protocol (BPP), which is part of New IP, was designed to transfer packets for future networking applications, and aims to overcome obstacles within current networks for high precision services. One of the most important advantages of New IP is that it allows changes to packets during transmission. The strategy of BPP is to reduce the pac...

Cloud-network slicing is a promising approach to serve vertical industries delivering their services over multiple administrative and technological domains. However, there are numerous open challenges to provide end-to-end slices due to complex business and engineering requirements from service and resource providers. This article presents a refere...

Radio Access Networks (RAN), Edge Computing (EC), and Network Slicing are some of the critical components in 5G networks used to provide different transport services over the same infrastructure and to enable new features, e.g., low latency and context awareness. It is important to have tools for evaluating present and future applications over thes...

This paper explores and makes a case for allocating a Wide-area Infrastructure Manager (WIM) on-demand to support softwarized network slicing, as part of the full NFVI virtualised infrastructure foundation, to ensure that the connectivity attributes prescribed to network slices can be managed with flexibility and adaptability in a full end-to-end s...

This article surveys the motivation, the benefits, and the challenges of network slicing in the context of research and development of 5G networks and beyond and in particular of the EU H2020 research projects and SDOs' activities.

The ability to predict network dynamics is a challenging problem for communication providers as this can have an impact on the performance of the applications running on top of their infrastructure. In this paper we use a data-driven approach to investigate whether observing the variation of the connectivity properties of a network over time can pr...

Network slicing is seen as a key enabler for meeting the diverse network service requirements, which stem from the transition to 5G. Furthermore, network slicing provides inherent support for multi-tenancy, enabling network providers to slice their infrastructure and resell it to a large number of tenants. Most existing work on slicing has been foc...

Slicing is a move towards segmentation of resources and deployment of NFV for the purpose of enhanced services and applications on globally shared resources. The slicing approach in this paper considers Data Center slicing and the VIM on-demand model. We focus on the monitoring of Data Center slices, showing what is needed from the monitoring persp...

Cloud network slicing can be defined as the process that enables isolated end-to-end and on-demand networking abstractions, which: (a) contain both cloud and network resources, and (b) are independently controlled, managed and orchestrated. This paper contributes to the vision of the NECOS project and relevant platform, that aim to address the limi...

Nowadays, video streaming over HTTP is one of the most dominant Internet applications, using adaptive video techniques. Network assisted approaches have been proposed and are being standardized in order to provide high QoE for the end-users of such applications. SAND is a recent MPEG standard where DASH Aware Network Elements (DANEs) are introduced...

This work presents the deployment of a hierarchical multi‐MANO environment for the instantiation and management of end‐to‐end 5G network services in a slice‐enabled infrastructure. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

This paper presents a unique and new scenario where services are deployed across distributed domains, and each domain MANO (for VNF Management and Orchestration) requests and creates an on-demand Data Center slice to run those service elements. Whilst each domain has its own MANO, the MANOs are configured in a north-south way creating a hierarchy o...

This paper explores some of the mechanisms, components, and abstractions that can be utilized in order to encompass network slicing into a bigger picture for NFV delivery. In particular, we make the case for Data Center (DC) infrastructure slicing, as part of the full NFVI foundation, to ensure that the attributes prescribed to network slices are p...

This paper explores new scenarios where Cloud Network Service Providers take advantage of using more flexible resource management and orchestration solutions in the form of dynamic virtualised compute, network and storage resources. The main focus of this work is to analyse how those challenges will considerably impact the requirements of the monit...

In the context of 5G networks, the concept of network slicing allows network providers to flexibly share in-frastructures with mobile service providers and verticals. While this concept has been widely investigated considering mostly the network issues, in this work we focus on a slice as a service model that takes into account the data center (DC)...

Web-caches play an important role in the architecture of a Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH) system, which can bring video files near to the clients. In such systems, the placement of the caches affects the performance of the video streaming applications. In this paper we select the optimal network nodes for cache placement by taking into...

This talk is focussed towards people in the arenas of orchestration and higher level management, where they are attempting the role out of SDN, NFV, and SFC. • It is a talk with no measurements and no experiments ! • It is not really about right / wrong, more that there are opportunities to use working and well tested concepts. • This is about a pe...

The trend of softwarization within networks, such as SDN, NFV, and 5G, has increased the need for a network operating system and all its associated elements. In this paper we discuss how the layering and abstractions that commonly appear within computer operating systems are missing within the domain of networking. As such, the lack of abstractions...

Traffic engineering (TE) functionality aims to control and fine-tune the routing configuration and bandwidth allocation in order to optimize the use of network resources and avoid the build-up of congestion. The performance of a given TE scheme is, however, strongly influenced by the degree of flexibility offered in distributing the traffic load. M...

The Internet landscape is gradually adopting new communication paradigms characterized by flexibility and adaptability to the resource constraints and service requirements, including Network Function Virtualization (NFV), Software-Defined Networks (SDNs), and various virtualization and network slicing technologies. These approaches need to be reali...

There is a major shift in the Internet towards using programmable and virtualized network devices, offering significant flexibility and adaptability. New networking paradigms such as software-defined networking and network function virtualization bring networks and IT domains closer together using appropriate architectural abstractions. In this con...

Recent years have seen a trend in network and service infrastructures adopting software networking paradigms. Traditional hardware, such as servers, network equipment and middleboxes, are evolving towards flexible equivalent software technologies: namely virtualized servers, routers and network functions, respectively. At this stage, such Software-...

In order to support reactive and adaptive operations, Software-Defined Networking (SDN)-based management and control frameworks call for decentralized solutions. A key challenge to consider when deploying such solutions is to decide on the degree of distribution of the management and control functionality. In this paper, we develop an approach to d...

The Internet infrastructure is gradually improving its flexibility and adaptability due to the incorporation of new promising technologies, such as the Software-Defined Networks and the Network Function Virtualization. The main goal is to meet the diverse communication needs of the users, while the global system operation satisfies the business and...

The heterogeneous nature of the applications, technologies and equipment that today's networks have to support has made the management of such infrastructures a complex task. The Software-Defined Networking (SDN) paradigm has emerged as a promising solution to reduce this complexity through the creation of a unified control plane independent of spe...

This paper addresses the problem of managing highly dynamic network and service environments, where virtual nodes and virtual links are created and destroyed depending on traffic volumes, service requests, or high-level goals such as reduction in energy consumption. This problem will be one of the main technical challenges to be faced in the evolut...

The Software Defined Networks (SDNs) and Network Functions Virtualisation (NFVs), as recent separate research and development trends have the roots in programmable / active network technologies and standards developed a decade ago. In particular, they are associated with the decoupling of forwarding from control and hardware from networking softwar...

Monitoring large scale infrastructures hosting an even larger number of applications in highly consolidated multi-tenant environments presents a wealth of problems. Dealing with these challenges is essential since monitoring is the cornerstone to make clouds responsive, failure-tolerant, automated and cost-efficient for operators. In this special i...

This position paper presents SoftINTERNET an initiative for a service-aware and management-aware network control infrastructure for heterogeneous networks (i.e., wired and wireless) that uses software driven features for the elaboration, development, and validation of networking concepts. The proposed infrastructure aims to optimally integrate the...

This position paper presents SoftINTERNET an initiative for a service-aware and management-aware network control infrastructure for heterogeneous networks (i.e., wired and wireless) that uses software driven features for the elaboration, development, and validation of networking concepts. The proposed infrastructure aims to optimally integrate the...

This paper addresses the problem of provisioning management/monitoring nodes within highly dynamic network environments, particularly virtual networks. In a network, where nodes and links may be spontaneously created and destroyed (perhaps rapidly) there is a need for stable and responsive management and monitoring, which does not create a large lo...

In this position paper, we present a new networking and management framework - called SeNET - that integrates software driven features with the management features of modern autonomic network management, and many service features from the world of services. This framework is under development and validation.

This paper briefly proposes the demonstration of a prototype system that is able to successfully govern autonomic functions and to efficiently manage virtualized resources. The demonstration also showcases how Software-Driven Networks (SDNs) can be managed using the UMF architecture, as well as how novel optimization algorithms and mechanisms can b...

This paper proposes the exploitation of a Unified Management Framework for coordinating (i.e. ensuring conflict-free and stable operation), multiple, autonomic control loops. The functionality is demonstrated through the instantiation to Self-Organizing Network (SON) coordination for managing LTE-Advanced Heterogeneous Network (HetNet) with relays.

In this position paper we present a new networking framework -- SdNET - that integrates software driven features with the management features of modern autonomic network management, and many service features from the world of Services. This framework is under development and validation.

This chapter presents the need, the requirements, and a design for a monitoring system that is suitable for supporting the operations and management of a Federated Cloud environment. We discuss these issues within the context of the RESERVOIR Service Cloud computing project. We first present the RESERVOIR architecture itself, then we introduce the...

In this paper we present a service management platform and an architecture which integrates the features of IoT with the management features of modern autonomic network management, and many service features from the world of Services. We present an architecture for INOX, a robust and adaptable Service Platform for the Internet of Things and Inter-C...

One of the key aspect fundamentally missing from the current Internet infrastructure is an advanced service networking platform and facilities, which take advantage of flexible sharing of available connectivity, computation, and storage resources. This paper aims to explore the architectural co-existence of new and legacy services and networks, via...

As cloud computing becomes more predominant, the problem of scalability has become critical for cloud computing providers. The cloud paradigm is attractive because it offers a dramatic reduction in capital and operation expenses for consumers.

Virtual Networks are characterised as highly dynamic network environments, where topologies and nodes adapt rapidly to changes in user and service demands, user location and context changes, or resource constraints. This paper presents a rigorous assessment of an Information Management Overlay (IMO) suitable for monitoring virtual networks. The IMO...

Cloud computing is changing the way in which companies deploy and operate ICT based services. This paradigm introduces sev-eral advantages compared with traditional data centers, such as a great degree of flexibility, pay-per-use models, and rapid resource provisioning. However, the lack of a well defined supply chain for clouds and an asso-ciated...

This paper presents a monitoring platform and demonstration enabling effectively operation of service clouds. It is designed for monitoring resources and services in virtualized environments. It provides data on the actual usage and changes in resources of the cloud and of the services running in the cloud.

The current Internet does not enable easy introduction and deployment of new network technologies and services. This paper aims to progress the Future Internet (FI) by introduction of a service composition and execution environment that re-use existing components of access and core networks. This paper presents essential service-centric platforms a...

This paper presents a number of service-centric platforms and demonstrations that have been developed by the FP7 Autonomic Internet project with the aim to create a flexible environment for autonomic deployment and management of Virtual Networks (VN) and Services as validated on large-scale testbeds.

Cloud computing is a promising paradigm for the provisioning of IT services. Cloud computing infrastructures, such as those offered by the RESERVOIR project, aim to facilitate the deployment, management and execution of services across multiple physical locations in a seamless manner. In order for service providers to meet their quality of service...

Cloud computing is rapidly changing the landscape of traditional IT service provisioning. It presents service providers with the potential to significantly reduce initial capital investment into hardware by removing costs associated with the deployment and management of hardware resources and enabling them to lease infrastructure resources on deman...

The use of the Lattice monitoring framework as a fundamental part of a overlay management system for virtual networks is presented. Lattice has been specially designed for monitoring resources and services in virtualized environments, including virtual networks. Monitoring of virtualized resources and services has many criteria which are not releva...

There has recently been an increasing research interest in network management infrastructures that autonomously adapt to the dynamics of the environment. In this paper, we present an information management platform, called the Information Management Overlay (IMO), which is an infrastructure that regulates information flow based on the properties an...

Service Clouds are a key emerging feature of the Future Internet which will provide a platform to execute virtualized services. To effectively operate a service cloud there needs to be a monitoring system which provides data on the actual usage and changes in resources of the cloud and of the services running in the cloud. We present the main aspec...

Future Internet (FI) research and development threads have recently been gaining momentum all over the world and as such the international race to create a new generation Internet is in full swing: GENI, Asia Future Internet, Future Internet Forum Korea, European Union Future Internet Assembly (FIA). This is a position paper identifying the researc...

This paper presents current research in the design and integration of advance systems, service and management technologies into a new generation of Service Infrastructure for Future Internet of Services, which includes Service Clouds Computing. These developments are part of the FP7 RESERVOIR project and represent a creative mixture of service and...

There has recently been an increasing research in-terest in network management infrastructures that autonomously adapt to the dynamics of the environment. In this paper, we present an information management platform, called the Infor-mation Management Overlay (IMO), which is an infrastructure that regulates information flow based on the properties...

Many popular myths have evolved about functional programming languages and their power of expression; one such myth is that "functional languages cannot construct arbitrary cyclic data structures at run-time" and therefore that functional languages are not appropriate for problems which require efficient representations of dynamically-specified cyc...

The MICE project has been piloting multimedia conferencing (audio, video and shared workspace) over the Internet in Europe, with links to the US, over the last two years. In this paper, we summarise our experience and discuss recent developments in several areas: tool improvement, their use over ISDN and ATM, security, management and control, multi...