Abstract

Ambient Networks (AN) is a new networking concept for beyond 3G. It is a product of the European Union's Sixth Framework Program (FP6). Network composition is a core concept of ANs. It allows dynamic, scalable and uniform cooperation between heterogeneous networks. ANs can host various registries. These registries may be of different types (e.g. centralized, distributed), store heterogeneous types of information (e.g. raw data vs. aggregated data), and rely on different interfaces to access the stored information (i.e. protocols or programming interfaces). When ANs compose, the hosted registries need to compose. Registry composition is a sub-process of network composition. It provides seamless and autonomous access to the content of all of the registries in the composed network. This thesis proposes a new architecture for registry composition in ANs. This overall architecture is made up of four components: interface interworking, data interworking, negotiation and signaling. Interface interworking enables dynamic intercommunication between registries with heterogeneous interfaces. Data interworking involves dynamically overcoming data heterogeneity (e.g. format and granularity). Interface and data interworking go beyond static interworking using gateways, as done today. The negotiation component allows the negotiation of the composition agreement. Signaling coordinates and regulates the negotiation and the execution of the composition agreement. Requirements are derived and related work is reviewed. We propose a new functional entity and a new procedure to orchestrate the composition process. We also propose a new architecture for interface interworking, based on a peer to peer overlay network. We have built a proof-of-concept prototype. The interface-interworking component is used as the basis of our new architecture to data interworking. This architecture reuses mechanisms and algorithms from the federated data base area. The thesis proposes as well a new architecture for on-line negotiation. The architecture includes a template for composition agreement proposals, and a negotiation protocol that was validated using SPIN. A new signaling framework is also proposed. It is based on the IETF Next Step in Signaling (NSIS) framework and was validated using OPNET. Most of these contributions are now part of the AN concept, as defined by the European Union's Sixth Framework Program