Network Service Providers Research Articles

Optical Networking Gym: an open-source toolkit for resource assignment problems in optical networks

The dynamic provisioning of optical network services requires algorithms to find a suitable solution given the specific service requirements and the current network state. These algorithms are usually evaluated using a software simulator developed ad hoc, which may require different levels of detail depending on the problem addressed and how realistic the evaluation needs to be. Moreover, to demonstrate they are a significant contribution to the field, these new algorithms must be benchmarked against the best-performing previously proposed solutions. Due to the large set of parameters and their wide range of possible values, benchmarking algorithms from the literature is not straightforward and can quickly become challenging and time-consuming. This work introduces the Optical Networking Gym, an open-source toolkit that simplifies implementing optical resource assignment simulations and benchmarking new solutions against previously published algorithms. The toolkit provides environments modeling relevant optical networking scenarios, common algorithms for solving problems related to these scenarios, and a set of scripts to prepare and execute simulations for various use cases. Currently, four environments are available, with the possibility of increasing this number through contributions from the co-authors and the community. This paper describes the architecture, interface, environments, and scripts included with the toolkit. We adopt the quality of transmission (QoT)-aware dynamic resource allocation of optical services as the network scenario under examination. Three use cases highlight the toolkit’s modularity, flexibility, and performance. The toolkit allows researchers to streamline the process of developing simulation scenarios and algorithms, enhancing their ability to benchmark their algorithms.

Health Care Utilization and Perceived Quality of Care in a Colombian Indigenous Health Organization.

Indigenous governance of health care has increasingly been advocated among Indigenous peoples in many countries. However, there is limited research that has empirically examined its benefits. In 2020/21, we conducted a survey of 2113 Indigenous Wayuu individuals in Colombia who received services from the Indigenous Wayuu led health care insurance organization Anas Wayuu and its network of service providers, and Wayuu individuals who received services from non-Indigenous health insurance organizations. We compared their health care utilization and perception of quality of care. A main finding of the study was that Anas Wayuu enrollees were more than twice as likely to access health care than enrollees from non-Indigenous health insurance organizations, even when controlling for the demographic and health characteristics. The study provided compelling evidence suggesting that Anas Wayuu, being an Indigenous led health organization improves access to, and quality of care, among Indigenous health service recipients.

A Cancer Patient Navigation Training Program for Limited-Resource Settings: Results from 5 Years of Training.

Limited research exists on the effectiveness of cancer patient navigation (CPN) in limited-resource countries which are challenging for patients to navigate. The aim of this study was to report on the workflow, resources developed, and outcomes of pilot CPN program developed by the Caribbean Cancer Research Institute (CCRI) in the limited-resource country of Trinidad and Tobago. Three part-time navigators and a part-time program manager were trained in CPN and hired by the CCRI. A network of local service providers, program policies, an electronic medical records system, and informational blog posts were developed to support the pilot. Patients were referred at monthly multi-disciplinary team meetings of the Sangre Grande Hospital. Navigators provided navigation services for a maximum of 10h. Changes in distress before and after navigation were measured using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network distress thermometer and evaluated using a paired t-test. Patient satisfaction with the navigator and the navigation service was evaluated in a post-navigation survey. One hundred and fifty-eight breast, prostate, pancreatic, and colon cancer patients were navigated. There was an average of 14 contacts between patient and navigator with an average of 30min per contact. There were 631 barriers identified of which physical (27%; n = 172), informational (26%; n = 164), and emotional or psychological (25%; n = 158) were the top three most frequently reported. Resolutions were offered for 62% (n = 391) of reported barriers. The CPN intervention resulted in a statistically significant reduction in patient distress overall (- 2.4 [2.07-2.79], < 0.001) and across most patient subgroups. Almost all patients reported high satisfaction with navigation. CPN significantly improved patient distress, and patients reported high satisfaction with navigation in the limited-resource setting of Trinidad and Tobago.

ANALISIS KINERJA RANTAI PASOK PADA PROSES SOURCE, TRANSFORM, DAN FULFILL DENGAN METODE SCOR DAN AHP PADA TELKOM WITEL BANDUNG

Telkom Witel Bandung is a telecommunications and networking service provider serving the Telkom Bandung area. The company has experienced staff reductions and organizational changes following the transformation to B2B services, which have impacted the execution of High Speed Internet (HSI) projects. Performance measurement of the supply chain was conducted using the Supply Chain Operation Reference (SCOR) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) methods. The evaluation focused on three core processes: source, transform, and fulfill. Performance indicators were derived from KPI validation by employees and managers at Telkom Witel Bandung, resulting in 26 selected indicators with attributes including reliability, responsiveness, agility, cost, profit, and environmental. Indicator weighting was performed using AHP with Expert Choice 11. Analysis of normalized actual data revealed that five indicators with scores below 90 (Excellent) require improvement. The total performance score of 117.461 indicates that Telkom Witel Bandung’s performance is classified as very good.

Automated PIM Detection in Wireless Networks via Smart Data-Driven Techniques

As the number of base stations keeps increasing due to ever-growing wireless services and pervasive connectivity, the operational costs for network service providers rises proportionally. In addition, with the evolution of wireless technologies and the development of next generation networks such as 5G and 6G, network operators are inevitably expected to encounter more complex challenges. One such network issue is the Passive Intermodulation (PIM) problem that is observed in both 4G and 5G networks. It degrades the user experience and radio resource efficiency while leading to an operational overhead for detecting and mitigating it on the operator side. Although there is a significant body of work regarding PIM detection and cancellation methods, the majority of such studies depends on hardware solutions and manual investigation by network engineers, which is costly in terms of time and labor. In this paper, we propose two methods using unsupervised and semi-supervised Machine Learning (ML) approaches, namely a time-series-based anomaly detection technique and an autoencoder-based one, for identifying PIM problems in network sites. The proposed solutions utilize a set of Key Performance Indicator (KPI) data of base stations obtained from network management systems for a significantly long time interval and detect possible PIM problems without the need for a human in the loop. We measure and analyze the performance of our solutions, with the guidance of experienced network engineers, on our collected dataset.

Distributed virtual selective-forwarding units and SDN-assisted edge computing for optimization of multi-party WebRTC videoconferencing

Network service providers (NSP) have growing interest in placing network intelligence and services at network edges by deploying software-defined network (SDN) and network function virtualization infrastructure. In multi-party WebRTC videoconferencing using scalable video coding, a selective forwarding unit (SFU) provides connectivity between peers with heterogeneous bandwidth and terminals. An important question is where in the network to place the SFU service in order to minimize end-to-end delay between all pairs of peers. Clearly, there is no single optimal place for a cloud SFU for all possible peer locations. We propose placing virtual SFUs at network edges leveraging NSP edge datacenters to optimize end-to-end delay and usage of overall network resources. The main advantage of the distributed edge-SFU framework is that each peer video stream travels the shortest path to reach other peers similar to mesh connection model, whereas each peer uploads a single stream to its edge-SFU avoiding the upload bottleneck. While the proposed distributed edge-SFU framework applies to both best-effort and managed service models, this paper proposes a premium managed, edge-integrated multi-party WebRTC service architecture with bandwidth and delay guarantees within access networks by SDN-assisted slicing of edge networks. The performance of the proposed distributed edge-SFU service architecture is demonstrated by means of experimental results.

Accelerating Fintech optimization and cybersecurity: The role of segment routing and MPLS in service provider networks

This review paper explores the profound impact of advanced financial modeling techniques on strategic business planning and performance. The paper begins with an overview of the evolution of financial modeling, highlighting the importance of advanced techniques such as Monte Carlo simulations, real options analysis, and machine learning models. It delves into the role of technology, including artificial intelligence and big data analytics, in enhancing financial modeling capabilities. The discussion then shifts to how these advanced models support strategic business planning by providing deeper insights, improving risk management, and facilitating better decision-making. The paper also examines the challenges of implementing advanced financial modeling, including data quality issues and skill gaps, and offers practical business recommendations. Future trends in financial modeling, such as increased AI integration and the incorporation of ESG factors, are also explored. The review concludes by emphasizing the significant benefits of advanced financial modeling in driving strategic business decisions and improving overall business performance. Keywords: Advanced Financial Modeling, Strategic Business Planning, Monte Carlo Simulations, Machine Learning Models, Risk Management.

Deep Learning Approaches for SYN Flood Detection in Internet Service Providers Network

In the context of growing network security threats, SYN flood attacks are one of the most apparent dilemmas being encountered by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). The attacks are problematic because they outpace traditional detection mechanisms. In a research paper published by the authors, three deep learning algorithms - Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks are considered suitable for identifying SYN flood attacks in ISP network. In this paper, these models have been developed for classifying anomalous traffic flows with a wide variety of attack and normal behaviors in an extensive dataset. The CNN though quite computationally apt it also has an accuracy of 94.2% and a F1-score of 94.6%, detecting almost all SYN flood attacks correctly with C-NN model while keeping the computational load to harvestable levels! The RNN model (~ 91.5-accuracy, ~92.2-F1-score) digit showed shortened latency detection of the temporal pattern with higher FP-rates. This unit (LSTM) was greater than more models as cricket scored at 96.0 % with a F1 score of ninety-five, eight%, which suggests the very best ability to locate attacks without realistically any fake negatives however additionally he maximum computation useful resource needful representation We analyze trade-offs between the detection accuracy and computational efficiency, thus suggesting how these models may be practically deployed in real-world ISP environments.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PERFORMANCE OF 3G NETWORKS VOICE SERVICE IN IBADAN METROPOLIS

This paper aims to offer a comparative analysis of the main Nigerian mobile network service provider with reference to 3G voice service. Drive tests were engaged in Ibadan metropolis to acquire some KPI parameters used for the analysis. The findings show that not a single service provider was in good standing across all the KPIs. Thus, the performance of a particular operator is purely a function of the desired KPI parameter.

Research on the Scope of Obligations of China's Short Video Platforms in the Era of Digital Copyright

In order to balance the interests of right holders, network service providers and users, China first stipulated the "notice-takedown" rule in the Regulations on the Protection of the Right of Information Network Dissemination in 2006. Since the Internet industry is in the early stage of development, the copyright environment is relatively clear, and network service providers do not have to bear high obligations, so the allocation of copyright protection obligations in the rules is reasonable at that time. However, with the iterative development of digital technology and the Internet, various short video platforms have also risen rapidly in domestic and foreign markets. Therefore, it is necessary to re-determine the scope of obligations of short video platforms, summarize the key points of controversy between the theoretical and practical circles on the scope of obligations of short video platforms, point out the problems existing in the scope of obligations of short video platforms, and discuss the role of short video platforms in the obligation of active review, notification and review, and post-event protection obligations. Conduct an in-depth analysis of the extent of the obligations to be undertaken, and redefine the scope of obligations of the short video platform on this basis, with a view to balancing the interests of all parties and promoting the sustainable and healthy development of the short video industry.

Research on the tort liability of network service providers

Research on the tort liability of network service providers

Shaped operating envelopes: Distribution network capacity allocation for market services

The transition from centralised, fossil fuel-powered generating units to distributed energy resources (DER) represents a significant step forward, offering numerous benefits. However, this shift also presents operational challenges for distribution network service providers (DNSPs) and the electricity markets. In this paper, we introduce our innovative solution for allocating network capacity in the form of operating envelopes, shaped to enhance customer participation in energy and reserve markets. Our approach also provides DNSPs with network support flexibility of DER which can be leveraged to either increase network throughput for market services or postpone network augmentation. This study outlines our initial findings from Project Converge11https://arena.gov.au/projects/project-converge-act-distributed-energy-resources-demonstration-pilot/.—a comprehensive real-world trial involving 1000 active customers (the largest participant cohort in Australia) located in the Australian Capital Territory. Within, we discuss the challenges we have encountered, the opportunities that have arisen, potential avenues for future expansion, and the invaluable insights gained during the pre-trial phase of the project.

Constrained routing in multi-partite graph to solve VNF placement and chaining problem

Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and Software-Defined Networks (SDN) empower IT professionals and service providers to strategically deploy Virtual Network Functions (VNFs), resulting in enhanced services and security while minimizing costs. Network services are dynamically provided through the deployment of Service Function Chains (SFCs), which involve selecting and interconnecting physical or virtual servers hosting VNFs.In this paper, we address the online VNF placement and chaining (VNF-PC) problem, aiming to optimize the overall cost while satisfying the resource constraints. We begin by proving the NP-completeness of finding feasible solutions for both fixed-size NFV infrastructures and constant-size SFCs. Subsequently, we formulate the VNF-PC problem using Integer Linear Programming (ILP), which is adept at handling and solving small-scale instances of the problem. However, the efficiency of ILP hinges on the quality and quantity of precomputed paths, a factor that escalates rapidly with the expansion of NFV infrastructure size. To tackle scalability, we initially suggest resource homogenization using a novel multi-partite graph, followed by the introduction of the Constrained Shortest Path-based Heuristic in multi-Partite Graph (CSPH-PG) to solve the VNF-PC problem in polynomial time. Our heuristic focuses on promising solution areas by restricting the exploration to the K shortest paths that meet the constraints at each node, with K acting as a fixed parameter of our heuristic.Extensive simulations demonstrate that our heuristic rapidly converges towards optimal solutions, even with small values of the parameter K.

Optimizing Disaster Response through Efficient Path Planning of Mobile Aerial Base Station with Genetic Algorithm

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, as mobile aerial base stations (MABSs) in Disaster Response Networks (DRNs) has gained significant interest in addressing coverage gaps of user equipment (UE) and establishing ubiquitous connectivity. In the event of natural disasters, the traditional base station is often destroyed, leading to significant challenges for UEs in establishing communication with emergency services. This study explores the deployment of MABS to provide network service to terrestrial users in a geographical area after a disaster. The UEs are organized into clusters at safe locations or evacuation shelters as part of the communication infrastructure. The main goal is to provide regular wireless communication for geographically dispersed users using Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technology. The MABS traveling at an average speed of 50 km/h visits different cluster centroids determined by the Affinity Propagation Clustering (APC) algorithm. A combination of graph theory and a Genetic Algorithm (GA) was used through mutators with a fitness function to obtain the most efficient flyable paths through an evolution pool of 100 generations. The efficiency of the proposed algorithm was compared with the benchmark fitness function and analyzed using the number of serviced UE performance indicators. System-level simulations were used to evaluate the performance of the proposed new fitness function in terms of the UEs served by the MABS after the MABS deployment, fitness score, service ratio, and path smoothness ratio. The results show that the proposed fitness function improved the overall service of UEs after MABS deployment and the fitness score, service ratio, and path smoothness ratio under a given number of MABS.

An Effective Investigation for Quality of Service Enhancement of Content Delivery Network for HTTP Live Streaming Using H.265

In the contemporary era, the prevailing trend among individuals is the widespread utilization of streaming technology to indulge in audio or video content emanating from a server. This innovative approach negates the necessity for downloading the content beforehand, allowing users to seamlessly revel in the material through the streaming mechanism. However, this cutting-edge technology mandates a substantial bandwidth to uphold its Quality of Service (QoS) at an optimal level. Challenges may arise, such as packet loss, attributed to the restricted bandwidth provided by the network service provider, thereby compromising the delivered content’s quality. To address this issue, one viable solution is the integration of CDN (Content Delivery Network), a technology proven to enhance the quality of content delivered through streaming services. This research endeavors to elevate the quality of live video streaming by leveraging CDN. The HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) format for content streaming, the study empirically demonstrates that CDN significantly improves the Quality of Service. As a result, the proposed method Content Delivery Network (CDN) using H.265 plays vital role in live video streaming. The result shows that live video streaming with CDN outperforms without CDN. Specifically, the live video streaming experience with CDN showcases a remarkable throughput average of 5899.7 kbps, coupled with a minimal packet loss ratio average of 0.05%. This stands in stark contrast to the version without CDN, which exhibits a comparatively diminished throughput average of 5287.3 kbps and a higher packet loss ratio average of 0.22%. These empirical findings strongly emphasize the effectiveness of CDN in elevating the Quality of Service for live video streaming. The tangible enhancements in throughput and the reduction of packet loss achieved through CDN implementationcontribute significantly to an enriched user experience. The evidence supports the notion that integrating CDN technology not only optimizes the technical performance of live video streaming but also plays a pivotal role in enhancing the overall satisfaction and engagement of users with the content delivery system.

Learning-driven service caching in MEC networks with bursty data traffic and uncertain delays

Mobile edge computing (MEC) provides extremely low-latency services for mobile users, by attaching computing resources to 5G base stations in an MEC network. Network service providers can cache their services from remote data centers to base stations to serve mobile users within their proximity, thereby reducing service latencies. However, mobile users of network services usually have bursty requests that require immediate processing in the MEC network. The data traffic of such requests is bursty, since mobile users have various hidden features including locations, group tags, and mobility patterns. Furthermore, such bursty data traffic causes uncertain congestion at base stations and thus leads to uncertain processing delays. Considering the limited resources of base stations, network services may not be able to be placed into base stations permanently to handle the bursty data traffic. As such, network services need to be dynamically cached in the MEC network to fully address the bursty data traffic and uncertain processing delays.In this paper, we investigate the problem of dynamic service caching and task offloading in an MEC network, by adopting the online learning technique to harness the challenges brought by bursty data traffic and uncertain processing delays. We first propose an online learning algorithm for the problem with uncertain processing delays, by utilizing the multi-armed bandits technique, and analyze the regret bound of the proposed algorithm. We then propose another online learning algorithm for the problem with bursty data traffic and uncertain processing delays, which adaptively learns the bursty data traffic of requests, based on small samples of mobile users’ hidden features. We also propose a novel architecture of Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) to accurately predict user demands using small samples of mobile users’ hidden features. Based on the proposed GAN model, we then devise an efficient heuristic for the problem with the uncertainties of both bursty data traffic and uncertain delays. We finally evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithms by simulations, using a real data trace. Experimental results show that the performance of the proposed algorithms outperforms existing ones by up to 44% in terms of average delay.

Research on the Judgement Standard of the Duty of Care of Internet Service Providers

The internet service providers tort liability for general fault tort liability, which means that network service providers bear the tort liability need to subjective fault for the elements, then for the network service provider's subjective fault judgement standard objectively to rise to the network service provider's reasonable duty of care judgement standard above the problem. Up to now, about the network service provider's duty of care standard judgement is still no clear provisions, in the legal and judicial fields are more controversial. This paper explores these issues through an analysis of trial practices, seeking to establish a more standardized approach to evaluating ISPs' duty of care. The findings suggest that adopting the "good manager" standard could significantly enhance the clarity and effectiveness of managing ISPs' tort liabilities. It proposes the establishment of a dedicated management association within ISPs to implement and oversee these management policies consistently across the sector. This approach aims to not only define but also enforce a reasonable duty of care standard that is both fair and practicable.

Redefining Duty of Care: Challenges and Solutions for Network Service Providers

With the rapid development of Internet and algorithm technology, how to judge the "duty of care" of network service providers has become a new problem in the field of network infringement. The main topic of this paper is to focus on what kind of duty of care network service providers should bear, and how to solve the problem of responsibility division and commitment in practice. It begins with a comprehensive analysis of the current legal frameworks in China, comparing them with global standards, particularly focusing on the United States' "Safe Harbor" principle and the European Union's Digital Single Market Copyright Directive. It further discusses the challenges of enforcing the duty of care, emphasizing the variability in judicial interpretations and the difficulties in applying traditional legal principles to modern digital contexts. It highlights the need for clearer definitions and preemptive legal measures to mitigate infringement risks, as demonstrated by proactive copyright declarations like those implemented during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games. Additionally, it examines the potential misuse of the duty of care in competitive business environments, suggesting judicial and legislative strategies to prevent abuse and ensure a fair application of the law. The conclusion advocates for a collaborative approach to reforming duty of care standards, involving a range of stakeholders from legislators to copyright holders, to ensure they are robust yet flexible enough to accommodate future technological developments.

Market Structures for Service Providers in Advanced Air Mobility

Proposed concepts of operations for advanced air mobility rely on private service providers being responsible for providing air traffic management services to uncrewed aircraft such as drones and autonomous air taxis. While such proposals are unprecedented in the aviation context, one can draw parallels to the Internet and the role played by Internet service providers in managing web traffic. A study of the evolution of the Internet illustrates that, without clear rules for cooperation around a nascent market, private profit motives incentivize against service provider cooperation, especially for traffic flows that traverse multiple regions managed by different service providers. To address this problem, we propose a profit-sharing mechanism based on the Shapley value that incentivizes service providers to cooperate. We show that this mechanism i) ensures that service providers route flights along globally optimal routes, and ii) encourages service providers to work together in providing more efficient routes. We study the allocation of sectors to service providers and show that different allocations can cause large differences in profit earned. Finally, we discuss some of the remaining challenges with having a federated network of private service providers supporting traffic management for advanced air mobility operations.

The Identification Scope of Duty of Care of Network Service Providers in the Algorithm Recommendation Era

In the era of algorithm recommendation, the Internet has experienced major realistic changes such as "technology neutrality" and "technology cannot", which leads to inevitable changes in the duty of care of Internet service providers. The identification of the scope of the duty of care has become an important focus of dispute in infringement cases of Internet service providers, and the court has exercised its discretion. At present, the scope of the duty of care in Chinas legislation still has some deficiencies, such as low level of legal effect and vague definition standard, and there are also great disputes in the handling of practical cases. Considering the influence of the platform strength, the completeness of the notice and other factors, the scope of the duty of care should be appropriately increased according to the specific case in the infringement litigation of network service providers, and it should be distinguished from the duty of review. Starting from judicial practice, this paper suggests that the current duty of care be refined: according to the time stage of the case, the duty of care is divided into before, during and after, and the duty of care of the platform is appropriately improved in each link.