Abstract: A capability is provided for reducing response variance of virtual processors. A controller receives a processing request. The controller may propagate the processing request toward multiple virtual processors hosted on multiple hardware devices contemporaneously. The controller may propagate the processing request toward a first virtual processor hosted on a first hardware device and propagate the processing request toward a second virtual processor hosted on a second hardware device based on a determination that a timeout period expires before a processing response is received from the first virtual processor. The timeout period may be determined based on one or more response time statistics of the virtual processor and one or more response time statistics of a physical processor.

Abstract: A handover method is provided, in which a measure of signal strength is obtained between a user terminal and each of one or more candidate cells, relative to signal strength between the user terminal and a source cell. For candidate cells, a threshold is set that depends on a measure of loading of the source cell and a measure of loading of the candidate cell. For the target cell, a particular candidate cell is identified for which the measure of signal strength exceeds the threshold set for that particular cell. The user terminal is connected to the target cell. In specific embodiments, the threshold for each candidate cell depends on a load differential between the source cell and the candidate cell.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for self-organized caching in a content delivery network. One or more requested content items are cached at a node in a content delivery network. The disclosed method determines if the content item is stored in a local cache; and, if the content item is not stored in a local cache, the following steps are performed: requesting the content item from another node; and storing the content item in the local cache it one or more predefined capacity criteria are satisfied. The content delivery network can be a hierarchical network or a non-hierarchical network. The predefined capacity criteria can evaluate a popularity index of the content item relative to other items stored in the local cache.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method for reallocating loading from a datacenter site to other datacenter sites in a cloud computing network using an objective function that defines a performance characteristic of the cloud computing network at each datacenter site and a derivative of the objective function, the method comprising: evaluating the derivative for each of a set of other datacenter sites; identifying based upon the evaluated derivatives a datacenter site in the set of datacenter sites that results in the smallest increase in the objective function; and reallocating loading among the datacenter site and the other datacenter sites based upon the evaluated derivatives and the identified other datacenter site.

Abstract: A handover method is provided, in which a measure of signal strength is obtained between a user terminal and each of one or more candidate cells, relative to signal strength between the user terminal and a source cell. For candidate cells, a threshold is set that depends on a measure of loading of the source cell and a measure of loading of the candidate cell. For the target cell, a particular candidate cell is identified for which the measure of signal strength exceeds the threshold set for that particular cell. The user terminal is connected to the target cell. In specific embodiments, the threshold for each candidate cell depends on a load differential between the source cell and the candidate cell.

Abstract: An optical communications network architecture and associated method which employs time and wavelength-interleaving for homing between nodes/satellites and hubs and for grooming, while employing wavelength-division-multiplexed wavelength circuits between hubs without requiring cross-connects or routers therebetween.

Abstract: In one aspect, a system is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a plurality of wireless base stations that are located in a contiguous spatial coverage region of a cellular communication system. Each wireless base station that is configured to generate a coverage pilot beam to enable wireless mobile devices to set up spread spectrum wireless communication links with the generating wireless base station. The wireless base stations are configured to transmit data to the wireless mobile devices to cause a portion of the wireless mobile devices to reselect ones of wireless base stations for wireless communication links in a manner that reduces power load imbalances between the wireless base stations. The transmitted data is indicative of a set of shadow prices, wherein each of the wireless base stations is associated with a corresponding one of the shadow prices.

Abstract: A system for, and method of, simulating traffic loads in a packetized communication network. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) an initial arrival generator that generates an initial arrival for a simulated user session at an independent time from a previous user session arrival and (2) a subsequent arrival generator, associated with the initial arrival generator, that generates a number of connections to be associated with the simulated user session as an independent variable and, if the number of connections is greater than one, generates a mean connection interarrival time for the simulated user session and a plurality of timings of subsequent arrivals.

Abstract: A wireless mobile device is configured to set up communications via wireless links with wireless base stations of a cellular communication system and to obtain information indicative of shadow prices of said wireless base stations via wireless transmissions. Each of the wireless base stations has a corresponding shadow price. The wireless mobile device is configured to make a select one of the wireless base stations for a wireless link with the wireless mobile device based on the information indicative of the shadow prices.

Abstract: Delay-sensitive burst scheduling in a network is carried out through communications between source and destination nodes. A distributed scheduler at each destination node selects timeslots for burst arrivals from requesting source nodes, irrespective of timeslot selections made by distributed schedulers at other nodes.

Abstract: An optical communications network architecture and associated method which employs time and wavelength-interleaving for homing between nodes/satellites and hubs and for grooming, while employing wavelength-division-multiplexed wavelength circuits between hubs without requiring cross-connects or routers therebetween.

Abstract: Delay-sensitive burst scheduling in a network is carried out through communications between source and destination nodes. A distributed scheduler at each destination node selects timeslots for burst arrivals from requesting source nodes, irrespective of timeslot selections made by distributed schedulers at other nodes.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for self-organized caching in a content delivery network. One or more requested content items are cached at a node in a content delivery network. The disclosed method determines if the content item is stored in a local cache; and, if the content item is not stored in a local cache, the following steps are performed: requesting the content item from another node; and storing the content item in the local cache it one or more predefined capacity criteria are satisfied. The content delivery network can be a hierarchical network or a non-hierarchical network. The predefined capacity criteria can evaluate a popularity index of the content item relative to other items stored in the local cache.

Abstract: A technique for controlling a packet data network to maintain network stability and efficiently utilize network resources through mechanisms involving per-destination queues and urgency weights for medium access control. The technique jointly controls congestion, scheduling, and contention resolution on hop-by-hop basis, such that the length of queues of packets at a node does not become arbitrarily large. In one embodiment, queue lengths and urgency weights may be transmitted and received via medium access control messages.

Abstract: Flow control techniques are disclosed for use in data communications networks such as those implementing a time-domain wavelength interleaved network (TWIN) architecture or other suitable architectures. Such techniques may provide for congestion management and scheduling for asynchronous traffic. For example, in one aspect, a technique comprises collecting information at a node of an optical-based communications network, wherein at least a portion of the collected information pertains to congestion in the optical-based communications network, and adjusting a transmission rate of the node in response to at least a portion of the collected information such that the node operates under a substantially stable transmission schedule with respect to asynchronous data bursts. The transmission rate adjusting step/operation may further comprise adjusting the transmission rate such that the node operates under a substantially fair transmission schedule. The node may operate under a random transmission schedule.

Abstract: A number of techniques are described for routing methods that improve resistance to faults affecting groups of links subject to common risks. One of these techniques accounts for failure potentials in physical networks by considering shared risk link groups separately from performance and costs metrics in determining a primary routing path and a backup path. A shared risk link group (SRLG) is an attribute attached to a link to identify edges that have physical links in common and can therefore be simultaneously disrupted due to a single fault. Another technique considers node disjointness and provides a solution of two paths that are as node disjoint as possible and minimizes administrative costs. The techniques may further be combined in a priority order thereby providing a solution of at least two paths that are strictly SRLG disjoint, as node-disjoint as possible, and have minimum administrative costs.

Abstract: A procedure for designing WDM optical networks provides both working circuits and protection circuits for carrying traffic demands between node pairs. The protection circuits are activated for the purpose of network recovery in case of a fault on a working circuit. Each protection circuit is link-disjoint, and preferably node-disjoint, from its corresponding working circuit. The network is subdivided into logically defined rings, such that each working and protection circuit lies on one or more of the rings. In particular embodiments of the invention, the joint routing of circuits is carried out so as to minimize the total length of the working and protection circuits according to a length that includes a weight for each link. The weight is selected to promote the efficient packing of optical fibers with wavelength channels.

Abstract: A procedure for designing WDM optical networks provides both working circuits and protection circuits for carrying traffic demands between node pairs. The protection circuits are activated for the purpose of network recovery in case of a fault on a working circuit. Each protection circuit is link-disjoint, and preferably node-disjoint, from its corresponding working circuit. The network is subdivided into logically defined rings, such that each working and protection circuit lies on one or more of the rings. In particular embodiments of the invention, the joint routing of circuits is carried out so as to minimize the total length of the working and protection circuits according to a length that includes a weight for each link. The weight is selected to promote the efficient packing of optical fibers with wavelength channels.

Abstract: A technique for controlling a packet data network to maintain network stability and efficiently utilize network resources through mechanisms involving per-destination queues and urgency weights for medium access control. The technique jointly controls congestion, scheduling, and contention resolution on hop-by-hop basis, such that the length of queues of packets at a node does not become arbitrarily large. In one embodiment, queue lengths and urgency weights may be transmitted and received via medium access control messages.

Abstract: An optical WDM-TDM network includes a plurality of devices, each of the devices including at least one optical add/drop device adapted to drop optical signals of at least one channel of a plurality of received channels and pass through the remaining channels, at least one receiver, for receiving the at least one dropped channel from the at least one optical add/drop device, an aggregation device for assembling optical signals from the at least one receiver into original data formats, at least one transmitter for transmitting wavelength division multiplexed optical signals on the plurality of channels, a de-aggregation device for disassembling input data into blocks of data to be transmitted as optical signals by the at least one transmitter, and a controller for processing a global timing schedule.