To reduce the server load and communication costs of machine-to-machine (M2M) systems, sensor data are aggregated in M2M gateways. Aggregation logic is typically programmed in the C language and embedded into the firmware. However, developing aggregation programs is difficult for M2M service providers because it requires gateway-specific knowledge and consideration of resource issues, especially RAM usage. In addition, modification of aggregation logic requires the application of firmware updates, which are risky. We propose a rule-based sensor data aggregation system, called the complex sensor data aggregator (CSDA), for M2M gateways. The functions comprising the data aggregation process are subdivided into the categories of filtering, statistical calculation, and concatenation. The proposed CSDA supports this aggregation process in three steps: the input, periodic data processing, and output steps. The behaviors of these steps are configured by an XML-based rule. The rule is stored in the data area of flash ROM and is updatable through the Internet without the need for a firmware update. In addition, in order to keep within the memory limit specified by the M2M gateway's manufacturer, the number of threads and the size of the working memory are static after startup, and the size of the working memory can be adjusted by configuring the sampling setting of a buffer for sensor data input. The proposed system is evaluated in an M2M gateway experimental environment. Results show that developing CSDA configurations is much easier than using C because the configuration decreases by 10%. In addition, the performance evaluation demonstrates the proposed system's ability to operate on M2M gateways.

We propose a practical link protection scheme, called Single Backup-table Rerouting, (SBR) as an extension for Open Shortest Path First (OSPF). SBR protects against any single link failure as soon as the failure occurs if the topology of every area in OSPF is two-link-connected. An efficient algorithm to compute a set of backup tables is provided for networks with symmetric link costs. The foremost feature of SBR is that the backup process is fully distributed, so no message exchange is required and the modification of OSPF is minor. OSPF is extended with the following: only one extra backup routing table, a 2-bit flag at each traffic packet, and a process for handling the backup table. There are no changes to the message format of OSPF. In this paper, we present the practical link protection scheme by fitting SBR into several OSPF specific mechanisms such as OSPF areas, Equal Costs Multipath (ECMP), and virtual links with proofs of their correctness. Furthermore, together with a loop-free routing technique for link-state routing, SBR guarantees the consistency of every route against a single link failure, even during the path recomputation phase, until it converges to the new shortest paths.

The effect of inconsistencies in forwarding tables on the reachability of IP packets is evaluated. To improve a router's availability, in the architecture of current routers, the control element is separated from the forwarding element. However, a router with the current architecture cannot handle a notification for which the topology of the network system changes when its control element has stopped. In such a case, the router cannot update its own forwarding table, and an inconsistency between the forwarding tables of the router and those of the other routers will occur. To investigate the influence of this inconsistency, we formalize the network system, and derive the conditions under which such an inconsistency leads to unreachable routes. After that, the number of routes that are unreachable is evaluated by simulations. These simulations show that routing loops occur more frequently under the condition that a failed node is close to the restarting node or fewer links exist in the network system.

When digital broadcasting services are provided through cable television (CATV) networks, viewers watching interactive programs such as quizzes or auctions may respond to the program within a short period. If these responses are transmitted in the upstream channel of the CATV networks using TCP/IP, they will result in burst traffic. The numerous TCP connections will trigger congestion in the upstream transmission facilities and will cause a significant delay in conventional Internet services such as web-browsing. The present paper proposes a new method of controlling the CATV upstream channel to avoid such congestion. We introduce class-based queues at each cable TV station, in which each service class is related to a type of interactive service. The status of the queue is relayed to the cable modems of subscribers using a CATV-specific MAC protocol. This queue-status information is used to suspend further initiation of TCP connections at cable modems. As a result, the TCP connections will be arbitrated in the CATV network, while the delay of the response transmission is traded for smoothing of the burst traffic. We numerically evaluate the effect of the proposed method using the time distribution of responses to an actual quiz program. The results show that the proposed method successfully suppresses interference of the burst traffic with conventional best-effort services.

As the rise of the Internet greatly affects the construction of networks in the coming era of multimedia, we try to find the factors of development and problems of the Internet. Furthermore, we give light to the requirements on networks based on multimedia applications tailored to each homes. As a result of those two analyses, we point out that the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) type Internet utilizing ATM technology, which makes up for the drawbacks of information management function of the Internet, is promising. Furthermore, we point out that intelligence, which provides the network with the information management and information search functions, is necessary to be introduced into networks. So we propose a network function model, which will realize such functions.