Modeling TCP performance with proxies
This paper investigates TCP dynamics and performance over proxies that shorten the TCP feedback loop by segmenting the end-to-end connection. Such proxies are often used to improve the TCP performance, e.g. a splitting/spoofing proxy in satellite communication, and more commonly, a web cache. Through analysis, we attempt to develop a basic understanding of the properties of TCP dynamics when such proxies are used, and further obtain design principles of systems involving such proxies. We present simple models capturing some features of the proxy performance in both the lossless and lossy scenarios. Due to the complexity involved, detailed analysis is only available in the lossless scenario, and our discussion in the lossy scenario is largely limited to steady-state behavior. Nevertheless we are able to obtain useful insight. We identify conditions under which using a proxy provides significant or marginal performance gain by investigating factors including initial window size, congestion level of the proxy, and the level of asymmetry between the segments segregated by the proxy. We also discuss how these conditions affect the deployment and provisioning of such systems.

title: Sound mobility models
abstract: Simulation has become an indispensable tool in the construction and evaluation of mobile systems. By using mobility models that describe constituent movement, one can explore large systems, producing repeatable results for comparison between alternatives. Unfortunately, the vast majority of mobility models---including all those in which nodal speed and distance or destination are chosen independently---suffer from decay; average speed decreases until converging to some long-term average. Such decay provides an unsound basis for simulation studies that collect results averaged over time, complicating the experimental process.This paper shows via analysis that such decay is inevitable in a wide variety of mobility models, including the most common in use today. We derive a general framework for describing this decay, and apply it to a number of practical cases. Furthermore, this framework allows us to transform any given mobility model into a stationary one: choose initial speeds from the steady-state distribution, and subsequent speeds from the original. This transformation provides sound models for simulation, eliminating variations in average nodal speed.

title: A general framework to construct stationary mobility models for the simulation of mobile networks
abstract: Simulation has become an indispensable tool in the design and evaluation of mobile systems. By using mobility models that describe constituent movement, one can explore large systems, producing repeatable results for comparison between alternatives. In this paper, we show that a large class of mobility models - including all those in which nodal speed and distance or destination are chosen independently - have a transient period in which the average node speed decreases until converging to some long-term average. This speed decay provides an unsound basis for simulation studies that collect results averaged over time, complicating the experimental process. In this paper, we derive a general framework for describing this decay and apply it to a number of cases. Furthermore, this framework allows us to transform a given mobility model into a stationary one by initializing the simulation using the steady-state speed distribution and using the original speed distribution subsequently. This transformation completely eliminates the transient period and the decay in average node speed and, thus, provides sound models for the simulation of mobile systems.

title: AMRoute: Ad Hoc Multicast Routing Protocol
abstract: The Ad hoc Multicast Routing protocol (AMRoute) presents a novel approach for robust IP Multicast in mobile ad hoc networks by exploiting user-multicast trees and dynamic logical cores. It creates a bidirectional, shared tree for data distribution using only group senders and receivers as tree nodes. Unicast tunnels are used as tree links to connect neighbors on the user-multicast tree. Thus, AMRoute does not need to be supported by network nodes that are not interested/capable of multicast, and group state cost is incurred only by group senders and receivers. Also, the use of tunnels as tree links implies that tree structure does not need to change even in case of a dynamic network topology, which reduces the signaling traffic and packet loss. Thus AMRoute does not need to track network dynamics; the underlying unicast protocol is solely responsible for this function. AMRoute does not require a specific unicast routing protocol; therefore, it can operate seamlessly over separate domains with different unicast protocols. Certain tree nodes are designated by AMRoute as logical cores, and are responsible for initiating and managing the signaling component of AMRoute, such as detection of group members and tree setup. Logical cores differ significantly from those in CBT and PIM-SM, since they are not a central point for data distribution and can migrate dynamically among member nodes. Simulation results (using ns-2) demonstrate that AMRoute signaling traffic remains at relatively low level for typical group sizes. The results also indicate that group members receive a high proportion of data multicast by senders, even in the case of a highly dynamic network.

title: On the optimality of an index policy for bandwidth allocation with delayed state observation and differentiated services
abstract: In this paper we study the optimality of an index policy for a bandwidth allocation problem, where a single server is allocated among N queues in a slotted system based on the queue backlog information. Due to the physical nature of the system this information is delayed, in that when the allocation decision is made, the server only has the backlog information from an earlier time. This results in imperfect and partial state observation. Queues have Bernoulli arrival processes with different probabilities of arrival, as well as different buffering/holding costs to differentiate heterogeneous classes of traffic/service. The objective is to minimize the expected total discounted holding cost over a finite or infinite horizon. We introduce an index policy with indices defined as functions of the state of a queue. We first show that when the state of the system is away from the boundary, i.e., no empty queues, the index policy is optimal. When there are empty queues, we show that under sufficient separation of the indices the index policy is still optimal. We show by example that if the separation does not hold, the index policy is not necessarily optimal. We then formulate the optimal bandwidth allocation as a restless bandit problem and show under what conditions the index policy calculated using Whittle's heuristics, which in general is only asymptotically optimal, is optimal for the finite case

title: Optimal controlled flooding search in a large wireless network
abstract: In this paper we consider the problem of searching for a node or an object (i.e., piece of data, file, etc.) in a large wireless network. We consider the class of controlled flooding search strategies where query/search packets are broadcast and propagated in the network until a preset TTL (time-to-live) value carried in the packet expires. Every unsuccessful search attempt results in an increased TTL value (i.e., larger search area) and the same process is repeated. We derive search strategies that minimize the search cost in the worst-case, via a performance measure in the form of the competitive ratio between the average search cost of a strategy and that of an omniscient observer. This ratio is shown in prior work to be lower bounded by 4 among all deterministic search strategies. In this paper we show that by using randomized strategies this ratio is lower bounded by e. We derive an optimal strategy that achieves this lower bound, and discuss its performance under other performance criteria.

title: An Evaluation of the Use of Problem-Based Learning Software By Middle School Students
abstract: Research has shown the potential of a problem-based approach to enhance students' learning. The interactive nature of hypermedia technology and its ability to deliver information in different media formats can provide unique capabilities for implementing problem-based learning (PBL) environments. Yet, we know little about the types of tools that are effective in supporting students' learning in a hypermedia supported PBL environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate both the use of tools and design features in a piece of PBL software and their effectiveness on middle school students' learning. The findings of this study show that students who were exposed to the PBL environment increased their achievement scores from pre to posttest more than those students who learned the same content in the traditional classroom. Students' reading ability was found to be a better predictor for their achievement in PBL than their math ability. However, the brief treatment of the study had only limited impact on students' attitude toward learning science. The findings of the study and their implications are discussed in detail.

title: A prototype mobile-agent application
abstract: Mobile agents, a relatively new paradigm for distributed software development, has become an accessible technology in recent years. The potential bene-ts of this paradigm, including the reduction of network bandwidth consumption and latency, promise to revolutionize distributed applications A number of research institutions and industrial entities have engaged in the development of elaborate supporting systems for this technology, and the deployment of its applications can be expected to proliferate. This paper describes a small-scale project under-taken to explore the feasibility of this technology, the technical issues, and its eeects on network applications .

title: A High Population, Fault Tolerant Parallel Raytracer
abstract: We present hierarchical master-slave architecture for performing parallel raytracing algorithms that can support a large population of participating clients and at the same time maintain fault tolerance at the application level. Our design allows for scalability with minimal data redundancy and maximizes the utilization of each client involved in the raytracing process. Our results show that this three-layer system can survive any type or number of client failures, and any non-concurrent server failures, while maintaining a near linear increase in performance with the addition of each new processing client.

title: Combinatorial constructions for optimal supersaturated designs
abstract: Combinatorial designs have long had substantial application in the statistical design of experiments, and in the theory of error-correcting codes. Applications in experimental and theoretical computer science, communications, cryptography and networking have also emerged in recent years. In this paper, we focus on a new application of combinatorial design theory in experimental design theory. E ( f NOD ) criterion is used as a measure of non-orthogonality of U-type designs, and a lower bound of E ( f NOD ) which can serve as a benchmark of design optimality is obtained. A U-type design is E ( f NOD )-optimal if its E ( f NOD ) value achieves the lower bound. In most cases, E ( f NOD )-optimal U-type designs are supersaturated. We show that a kind of E ( f NOD )-optimal designs are equivalent to uniformly resolvable designs. Based on this equivalence, several new infinite classes for the existence of E ( f NOD )-optimal designs are then obtained.

title: Applying Design Patterns in Distributing a Genetic Algorithm Application
abstract: -This paper describes an experiment that employs an incremental approach to distribute a genetic algorithm application. The incremental approach allows the application to be initially developed for a standalone system, and then extended to run on multiple systems concurrently. For the extension, design patterns are employed wherever appropriate. The use of design patterns in the experiment is described, and the outcome of the experiment, including quantitative measurements, is presented.