Visions for dynamic network scenarios in ubiquitous environments: applications and research issues

Traditionally, mobile networks consist of mobile terminals connecting to a fixed access network. From the access network, other networks, including the Internet, can be reached. This simple, hierarchical structure is however disappearing. New kinds of mobile networks, e.g. personal area networks, body area networks, home networks, vehicular networks and sensor networks, are currently being investigated. Most of these networks are ad-hoc networks, or even moving ad-hoc networks. What is more, they are expected to dynamically interconnect themselves and then connect to access networks that themselves dynamically attach to other access networks and core networks.The realization of these future dynamic network scenarios requires augmentation and extension of available technology. For example, heterogeneous access technologies and interworking of different protocols must be supported. Furthermore, the effort for running and maintaining these networks should be kept low, such that - despite the increasing complexity of the overall system - auto-configuration and, above all, simplicity must be considered. The panelists will discuss the research issues that must be addressed to realize this vision. Should we just concentrate on fixes and add-ons to existing systems and procedures, and if yes, what functionality must be supported and how? Do we indeed need to re-invent basic communication paradigms such as the IP protocol, and if yes, what features should be supported by its successor? Is the vision of dynamic internetworking at all realistic, or will future mobile networks, for simplicity's sake, in the end only interwork under well-defined, static conditions.