This document discusses future research challenges in communication networks as seen by Dr. Mazlan Abbas. It identifies several key trends affecting research, including the growing importance of ICT, information revolution, urbanization, and concerns about energy efficiency. Technical evolutions expected by 2020 include the emergence of machine-to-machine communications, network virtualization, cloud computing, 5G wireless, and cognitive radio. Major barriers are filling the capacity gap, spectrum scarcity, managing increasing network complexity, and improving energy efficiency. Recommended research topics focus on new wireless architectures, virtualized networks, software-defined networking, internet of everything, and security/privacy.

1. Future
Networks
Research
Challenges
Dr.
Mazlan
Abbas

2. Consulta7on
on
future
Research
challenges
• Scope
– What
are,
from
your
perspec:ve,
the
main
trends
affec:ng
research
and
innova:on
in
the
communica:on
networks
area?
– What
are
the
main
scien7fic
and
technical
evolu7ons
you
envision
between
now
and
2020,
as
well
as
beyond?
– What
specific
barriers
or
challenges
have
to
be
overcome
or
taken
up?
– How
does
this
reflect
in
terms
of
research
topics
to
be
addressed
in
the
coming
years
(2013-­‐2020)?

3. Consulta7on
on
future
Research
challenges
• Trends
and
Context
– Growing
importance
of
ICT
and
telecommunica:ons
– Informa:on
Revolu:on
– Growth
of
ci:es
and
urban
popula:on
– Unsustainable
gap
between
networks
capacity
supply
and
demand
– Concerns
about
energy-­‐efficiency

4. Consulta7on
on
future
Research
challenges
• Technical
Evalua:ons
• Emergence
of
M2M
communica:ons
• Virtualiza:on
and
integra:on
of
communica:on
networks,
storage
and
compu:ng
resources
• Prolifera:on
of
cloud
concepts
• Convergence
of
‘macro’
and
‘micro’
networking
• Emergence
of
content-­‐centric
networks
• 5G
wireless
systems
• Emergence
of
cogni:ve
radio
and
dynamic
spectrum
alloca:on
(as
mature
technologies)
• Development
of
Photonic
Integra:on
• Evolu:on
of
terminals
and
tablets

5. Consulta7on
on
future
Research
challenges
• Barriers
and
Challenges
– Filling
the
gap
between
demand
and
capacity
– Spectrum
scarcity
– Co-­‐existence
of
various
wireless
technologies
and
Connec:ons
– Adop:on
of
cogni:ve
radio
systems
– Increasing
complexity
of
network
management
and
opera:ons
– Conciliate
security,
trust
and
privacy
constraints
– End-­‐to-­‐end
QoS
/
QoE
– Dependability,
robustness
and
resilience
of
Networks
– Energy-­‐efficiency
in
networks

6. Research
Topics
(1/2)
• New
wireless
networks
architectures
allowing
a
be`er
use
of
available
resources
• New
wireless
interfaces
enabling
very
high
data
rates
• Technology
for
monitoring
and
lowering
EMF
exposure
of
users
• New
communica:on
waveforms,
post
OFDM
• More
dynamic,
more
transparent,
faster,
“greener”
op:cal
networks
• New
infrastructure
in
intermi`ent
connec:vity

7. Research
Topics
(2/2)
• Smart
and
flexible
communica:on
systems
• Informa:on-­‐centric
networking
(ICN)
• Efficient
content
management
and
distribu:on
• Fully
virtualized
networks
• Sodware-­‐defined
networking
• Internet
of
Everything
• Cross-­‐domain
opera:on,
administra:on
and
maintenance
• Security,
privacy
and
trust
in
networks

8. New
Ideas
Are
Welcome!
Please
contact: