The networks of today have evolved from a simple packet transport mechanism to a complex array of devices such as proxies, firewalls, caches, directory servers etc., which work in concert to provide the new advanced services in the network. The overlay network thus formed is responsible for many functions, improving performance by means of sophisticated caching techniques, preserve the affinity between clients and servers by leveraging emerging network technologies, caching support for new applications such as storage that are being moved over to the network, etc. The peer-to-peer networking protocols, which holds a significant promise for developing highly scalable networked applications are an important ingredient of the smart networking architecture.

The goal of the smart networking research program is to develop and infrastructure and supporting technologies that feciliate the development of this new networking paradigm. Within this context, we have various projects underway that can exploit and improve the smart nature of the current Internet.

PROJECTS:

Peer to Peer Networking
MPLS based Affinity Mechanisms for Caching Proxies
Smart Query
Caching Managed Storage Services Offload