Data Networks

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The way we communicate has changed. Nowadays, the exchange of information and access to it has been transformed so much that it is already possible to watch movies anywhere, to buy an article that interests us at any time or to enjoy tailored television contents in our living room. All this is possible thanks to research in data networks and communications.

In atlanTTic we develop several lines of work focused on the engineering of data networks in order to improve the capacities of the communication systems and to enhance the products offered by the operators. The researchers focus their research activity in the following areas:

Lines of Research

Líñas de Investigación

Smart multimedia networks

Development of interfaces and protocols to control software defined networks (SDN), applied to the management of 5G networks and to provide intelligent services.

Smart access networks

Networks that tell the user’s terminal how to connect at any given time, to ensure the best user experience quality. This model is called Traffic Steering Architecture (TSA), and operates in such a way that a central entity, the TSA controller, maintains a global view of the state of the network and directs the connectivity of the users.

Virtualization of network functions and services (including 5G networks)

Thanks to the Network Function Virtualization NFV/SDN, network slicing and ONOS/OpenStack resource federation, functions that have traditionally been deployed as hardware can be implemented as software, such as user authentication, billing, or connection to external networks. Thanks to virtualization, it is possible to implement new services or even deploy a complete operator network kernel in a matter of hours on shared hardware through network slicing. For example, it is possible to deploy operators to the factory service or to specific vertical applications (IoT, drones…).

Scalable systems for multimedia distribution

Development of scalable low-cost systems for on-demand distribution of multimedia flows in hospitality and operator networks.

Multicast nVoD protocols with implicit error correction

Development of systems that allow the multimedia distribution of content on a large scale in access networks with limited bandwidth.

Analytical and simulation models for networks (wired or wireless) and data centers

Study of delay and losses, quality of service, coverage, outage and spectral efficiency.

Green networking

Energy efficiency in the design, architecture and operation of communications devices and equipment. Technologies: IEEE 802.3az (EEE), LTE-DRX, EPON, frame coalescing.

Social Networking Online (OSN)

Applied especially to education, through data mining and structural analysis of OSN.

Research Groups

Information Technologies Group (GTI)

 Group Webpage

Networking Laboratory (NetLab)

 Group Webpage

Facilities

atlanTTic has more than 350m2 dedicated to R&D in the Data Networks area. It has technologically sophisticated laboratories to support the research activity carried out by the team dedicated to this line of work. The team is made up of more than 10 PhDs and engineers.

We also highlight the following equipment:

  • 1x Iskratel IMS SI 3000 server to support IMS architectures
  • 1x EPC software: OpenEPC Core Network Dynamics, 5G network core.
  • 3x Dell T630 5U server, which host the OpenStack private cloud and can run content servers, applications or service instances.
  • 1x P3297 from Pica8 (pure SDN switch), to interconnect network elements using OpenFlow.
  • 1x SDN controller Open Daylight, which manages the OpenFlow switches that make up the SDN network.
  • 1x Dual Xeon server + 2 GPUs to support networked multimedia processors.
  • Standard network equipment for experiments and field tests.
  • Physical computer servers and a storage unit support the group’s R&D activities.
  • 1x Intel Gateway DN2800MT with several wireless interfaces to emulate multiple access networks in the user’s environment.
  • 1x Motorola Moto G LTE Android phone, as terminal for testing the traffic management modules.
  • 1x Phone Ubuntu Touch BQ Aquaris 4.5, as terminal with native TSA support for transfers without session loss.

Application sectors

  • Telecommunication operators, computer or data warehousing centers.
  • Telecommunication equipment manufacturers.
  • Integrating ICT companies for sectors such as video surveillance, business communications.
  • Networks and services optimization for operators.
  • Hospitality environments (means of transport, hotels, hospitals).
  • Wireless Operators.
  • SME

Outcomes

Title
Green Networking
Summary Optimization of energy consumption in transmission / reception network Ethernet devices, WiFi, passive optical networks and base stations of 4G / 5G networks. IEEE 802.3az (EEE), LTE-DRX, EPON, frame coalescing.
Application and pros Significant reduction of the energy consumption of the network components.
Application sectors Hardware equipment manufacturers, network operators.
Intellectual property A national and an international patent pending application.
Title
Network virtualization functions and associated services
Summary Implementation, configuration, deployment and orchestration of services / network functions in the cloud and software-defined networks. For this, SDN / NFV, OpenFlow / OpenFloodlight, ONOS / OpenMANO, OpenStack, TRILL & VxLAN, LRC and regenerative codes for distributed storage technologies have been used.
Application and pros
  • Significant time-to-market reduction.
  • High availability, reducing the cost of redundant equipment.
  • Innovation drive in vertical operator solutions (eg IoT)
Application sectors Telecommunication operators.
Intellectual property Industrial secret
Title
Social Networking Online
Summary Development of specialized OSNs for informal learning, data analysis of interactions, behavioral prediction and expectations. Elgg technologies, proprietary APIs and application development frameworks have been used.
Application and pros
  • Development of NSOs adapted to specific groups or sectors of activity (educational or technical).
  • Development of integrated communication and learning tools for groups.
Application sectors It is a cross-cutting technology. Two spin-offs have been created from this line of work, SocialWire and social BlueMarkets (the latter owned by another company at present).
Intellectual property N/A
Title
Smart multimedia networks
Summary Development of a solution that allows to optimize the performance of a network of multimedia contents, in such a way that the network is monitored and it is acted on dynamically according to its state or the new demands of the users. This solution uses SDN technologies to monitor and act on the network.
Application and pros
  • Higher quality of user experience, accessing multimedia content with greater agility and ease of reception.
  • Greater efficiency of the use of the network.
  • Thanks to the virtualization of caching and process servers (such as transcoding), greater flexibility and agility of the content distribution infrastructure to adapt to the needs of the applications.
Application sectors Telecommunication operators, telecommunication equipment manufacturers, technology integrating companies.
Intellectual property Industrial secret. Licensable developments for integration into commercial products.
Title
Smart access networks
Summary The TSA architecture developed by atlanTTic endows the SDN capabilities terminals with Open vSwitch (OVS). OVS is one of the leading virtual SDN switches, and allows a user terminal to behave like a remotely adjustable SDN router. The driver is based on OpenDayLight (ODL).
Application and pros Joint optimization of backhaul and access networks, with the following advantages:

  • Elimination of bottlenecks in access links.
  • Architecture built on technologies and mature paradigms.
  • The solution coexists with IP mobility solutions and is fully compatible with them.
Application sectors Telecommunication operators.
Intellectual property “Systems and Methods for Optimizing Network Traffic”, US patent application 14866550.
Title
Scalable systems for multimedia distribution
Summary Development of scalable VoD servers compatible with standard protocols for access from commercial set-top-boxes (e.g. Amino) or proprietary terminals. Open source architecture of multimedia servers to distribute video content as IP streams. It incorporates the following improvements:

  • Key management using cryptoprocessors.
  • Support for games.
  • Possibility of deploying the servers in the cloud, both partial (hybrid cloud) and total.
Application and pros Efficient and cost-effective deployment of multimedia distribution networks at a reduced multimedia streaming cost.
Application sectors Hospitality environments (means of transport, hotels, hospitals) and operators of small-medium size.
Intellectual property Open source solutions compatible with commercial terminals.
Title
Multicast nVoD protocols with implicit error correction
Summary Development of a multicast nVoD protocol that allows simultaneous and real-time playback of content from an unlimited number of terminals, regardless of the available bandwidth. Without imposing any overload, you can cope with fading and interference thanks to its ability to implicitly correct errors.
Application and pros Access to multimedia contents from tablets and mobile terminals in trains, airplanes or urban environments with bandwidth restrictions due to high content quality or adverse means of propagation.
Application sectors Hospitality environments (transportation, hotels, hospitals) and wireless operators.
Intellectual property “Method and System for Digital Content Transmission”, US 8,839,324 B2. Exploitation agreement with Gradiant, that commercializes the solution under the Travelmovie branding.
Title
Second screen systems for home networks and hospitality
Summary Development of solutions for the redistribution of IPTV and DTT to second screen. They include solutions to serve live channels to mobile terminals (telephones, tablets, laptops).
Application and pros Redistribution of live content in hospitality environments (hotels, hospitals) and home networks.
Application sectors The EBT Infinbox of the University of Vigo commercializes systems based on this kind of technology deployed at the Miguel Domínguez Hospital in Pontevedra.
Intellectual property Industrial secret

Research Areas

Áreas de Investigación

Iconos RG-01
Security
& Privacy
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Biomedical
Signal Analysis
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Data
Networks
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Multimedia
Technologies
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Space
Communications
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Radar &
Remote Sensing
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Electronic
Services
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Radio & Optical
Communications