HIPNet / Heterogeneous IP Networks

Lead Research Organisation: University of Cambridge
Department Name: Engineering

Abstract

ICT is of vital importance to the UK economy. In the past 5 years the UK has made substantial progress in creating one of the most competitive broadband markets in the world and is seeing 3G mobile starting to make a real impact on services. All this is leading towards the UK being a digitally rich economy, with ICT becoming all-pervasive in our lives. The HIPNet project supports the UK in maintaining this technological lead by the validation and verification of these complex ICT networks through a combination of experimental development and modelling. It will focus on traffic modelling and the network testing of techniques needed to economically achieve the required levels of Quality of Service (QoS) for multiple and diverse services in Next Generation Networks (NGNs), under conditions of traffic growth and also of major disruption. This is activity is set against the background of a step change in network features which is driving this additional complexity.A test-bed that contains all the constituent network components of a NGN is to be developed to validate end to end service delivery. In addition it is important to be able to predict the behaviour of complex networks and develop rules to ensure that the networks being built can be scaled to meet the needs of new and evolving services. This aspect of the network validation can be performed by a number of modelling activities, which can then be verified by comparison with the results from the network test-beds
 
Description The key findings within the project have enabled new methods of design of switching technology and methodology to be envisaged in a practical manner. The use of such optical switches developed within the project has caused several large companies to be show a great deal of interest in adopting this technology within their communications equipment used for both long haul and broadband access applications. The ever increasing energy demand from global ICT systems will soon start to consume a major part of global energy production. The major outcome of this research is the reduction in power consumption of data switches which are based upon the optical switching elements designed within the project. Indeed ideas developed here could see an order of magnitude reduction in the power required to drive high capacity switches and routers used within datacenters and telecommunications systems. There is thus significant societal impact in reducing the energy consumption of future high capacity communications systems. In the past two years there has been renewed interest in the innovative work initiated within the project on code division multiplexed passive optical networks. This has led to the award of a contract with an overseas company.
First Year Of Impact 2010
Sector Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics
Impact Types Societal,Economic
 
Description Huawei CAPE mode OFDM-ECDMA Access Network
Amount £69,821 (GBP)
Organisation Huawei Technologies 
Sector Private
Country China
Start 04/2014 
End 03/2015
 
Description SwiTching And tRansmission (STAR)
Amount £299,440 (GBP)
Funding ID EP/K018116/1 
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 04/2013 
End 12/2016
 
Description Ericsson Limited 
Organisation Ericsson
Country Sweden 
Sector Private 
Start Year 2006
 
Description Freescale Semiconductor Uk Ltd 
Organisation Freescale Semiconductors
Department Freescale Semiconductor UK
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
Start Year 2006