An Information Service Infrastructure for Ambient Networks

Communication environments are becoming increasingly more complex due to the diversity of available network technologies in terms of spatial coverage and design characteristics, and the proliferation of multi-function devices. In order to take full advantage of such technology capital, there is a growing need to reduce complexity for both end-users and network operators delivering services over these ubiquitous communication environments. Recent research efforts have moved in the direction of creating solutions that facilitate self-properties (i.e. self-configuring, -adaptation -management, -optimisation, - organisation) in future networks. An important enabler underpinning such solutions is the availability of a reliable and up-to-date knowledge base to simplify and foster autonomic decision-making. We introduce the Ambient Networks Information Service Infrastructure (ANISI), which aims at gathering and correlating information from different layers of the protocol stack and across different domains. We show how ANISI supports both enhanced mobility management and context-aware communications in pervasive networking environments.