Plenary speaker I: Networking and protocol layering — Legacy or clean slate

Abstract

Over the last couple of decades, the trends in network protocols and the layering principles have witnessed deviations from the standard 7-layer OSI model or the 5-layer TCP/IP model. These deviations were necessary to improve network performance, in terms of service quality offered to the increasing numbers in users and their demands and coping with emerging software and hardware technologies among others. In the wireless networking arena, cross layered techniques are being increasingly employed to overcome limitations and constraints imposed by the layering principles. These efforts are indicators that it is time for researchers to investigate the rationale to adhere to the legacy layering principles. This talk is directed towards some of the recent networking demands that would be better addressed by a clean slate approach both from an architectural and protocols perspective. The talk targets the current Internet as an example of wired networks and mobile ad hoc networks as an example of wireless networks, to show how one can transition out of the layering principles and hence the constraints imposed by them.