Research Vision

The vision of our research is the Design, Analysis, and Engineering of Flexible, Scalable, and Resilient Communication Systems and the adequate Architectures, Paradigms, Algorithms, Models, Methods and Tools to realize this vision.

The scope of considered systems spans from complex and massively distributed Peer-to-Peer-systems, via traditional Internet-based communication systems to ubiquitous devices, embedded systems and highly integrated microsystems and sensor nodes.

With Flexibility, Scalability and Resilience as key challenges in mind, we indentify three important research areas and mainly focus on them (cf. Fig 1):

• Protocol- and Systems-Engineering:

  Engineering of Resilient and Flexible Communication Systems Structured Engineering of Protocols Models, Methods and Tools for Protocol and Systems Development Verification and Validation of Protocols and Communication Systems

• Self-Organization and Coordination in (Massively) Distributed Systems:
  

  Scalability and Resilience in Massively Distributed Systems Structured Peer-to-Peer-Systems, Distributed Hash-Tables (DHTs) Self-Organization in Massively Distributed Systems Load-Balancing and Resilience in Structured P2P-Systems Security, Trust and Anonymity in Massively Distributed Systems Infrastructure Services in/for Massively Distributed Systems Mobility Issues in Massively Distributed Systems

• Communication Support for (Massively) Distributed Systems:
  

  Flexible and Adaptable Network Architectures Energy Aware and Efficient Communication (Mechanisms) Value Added Services for Tomorrow's Networks Mobility Support Cooperatively Driven and Operated Networks