Title: Policy-based self-management of wireless ad hoc networks
Author: Antonis Hadjiantonis
e-mail: A.Hadjiantonis@surrey.ac.uk
Partner: UniS
Supervisor: George Pavlou
Committee:
Year of start: 2004
Year of end: 2008
Funding institution: Centre for Communication Systems Research, University of Surrey

The evolution of wireless devices has been remarkable and heterogeneous networks can be formed in an ad hoc and arbitrary way. Therefore the need for managing ubiquitous systems arises. We set as the ultimate goal of our research efforts the design and implementation of a management system for ubiquitous systems using a policy-based paradigm. Our Policy-Based Network Management (PBNM) system incorporates the functionality to add controlled programmability using policies. We view policies as the means to extend the functionality of a system dynamically and in real time in combination with its pre-existing hard-wired management logic. In order to succeed in our goal we identify the important issues that need to be resolved. Issues like a novel Organizational model and those related to Policy-based management are among those to be explored.

Research Objectives

• Design an organisational model that will cater the diverse needs of managing ubiquitous systems
• Apply the principles of Policy-Based Network Management (PBNM) in our architecture.
• Apply a suitable storage mechanism for policies in ubiquitous systems
• Incorporate a robust and efficient policy distribution mechanism
• Adopt and fine-tune a management protocol to accommodate our design
• Support heterogeneous devices and user preferences
• Apply our design to specific case studies to verify and evaluate its applicability
• Address critical Security issues

1. A.M. Hadjiantonis, G. Pavlou, “Policy-based Self-Management of Hybrid Ad hoc Networks for Dynamic Channel Configuration”, published at IEEE/IFIP Network Operations and Management Symposium 2008 (NOMS 2008) Salvador, Brasil, IEEE, April 2008
2. A.M. Hadjiantonis, M. Charalambides, G. Pavlou, “An Adaptive Service Management Framework for Wireless Networks”, published in IEEE Vehicular Technology Magazine, Special Issue on Policy-based Management for Wireless Multimedia Services, IEEE, Vol. 2, Iss. 3 , p.6-13, Sep. 2007
3. A.M. Hadjiantonis, M. Charalambides, G. Pavlou , “A Policy-based Approach for Managing Ubiquitous Networks in Urban Spaces”, Proc. of the IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC 2006), Glasgow, UK, June 2007
4. A.M. Hadjiantonis, A.Malatras, G. Pavlou, “A context-aware, policy-based framework for the management of MANETs”, presented at the 7th IEEE Intl. Workshop on Policies for Distributed Systems and Networks (Policy 2006), University of Western Ontario, London , Canada, 5-7 June 2006
5. A. Malatras , A. M. Hadjiantonis, G. Pavlou, “Exploiting Context-Awareness For The Autonomic Management Of Mobile Ad Hoc Networks” , accepted at the Springer Journal of Network and Systems Management (JNSM) Special Issue on Autonomic Pervasive and Context-Aware Systems, to appear in March 2007
6. A M Hadjiantonis, P Flegkas and G Pavlou, “A management model for ad hoc networks” presented at London Communications Symposium 2005 (LCS2005), University College London, 8-9 September 2005