Smart communications for autonomous systems in network technologies

Abstract

The rise of Smart Communications in Network Technologies has led to the growth of intelligent communications domains embedded in complex systems for a wide variety of applications in the next generation of network and cloud computing technologies. Indeed, autonomous systems embedded in complex configurations and dynamic environments have developed rapidly and today's traditional applications have given ways to complex systems where different modular devices, actuators and sensors can closely interact. In fact, current research and development efforts in these topics are paving the way to a new, and in some scenarios, even a plethora of disruptive services and applications with a highly significant impact on the broad society. This has considerably affected the control mechanisms of a given system. This path to a new world of services is mainly supported by the smartness added in several network stages, from the edge terminal to the far Cloud. On the other hand, the evolution of Internet uses calls for more quality guarantees in order to support stringent services. Applications, which are based on high-level commands, accomplish some specific tasks; reveal new challenges regarding mechanic design, portability, acceptability, power support, and efficiency; control theory, cost, economic aspects, scalability, security, etc. Current trends are to propose new autonomic architecture schemes that manage and control future emerging networks: sky of clouds, Internet of things, Smart Grids, Smart Cities, smart industry, cloud/fog computing, open/big data processing, pervasive worldwide connection, etc. Unlike traditionally handled, the target of today's efforts in industry or academia is mainly pushing for a high societal impact, hence deploying services with a high impact on individuals, including for example, dependable services based on smart wearables or driving assistance solutions in smart transportation systems. The Special Issue focuses on the most recent advances in smart communications and Information Communication Technology networks impact not only on network technologies (protocols, equipment, algorithms, power, etc.) but also on creating collective and individual awareness about the multiple sustainability threats which our society is facing nowadays at social and environmental levels, considering a wide variety of applications (health care, underwater, vehicular, robotic, economics, etc.). After going through a deep peer-review process, we selected 17 outstanding papers for publication in this special issue of the International Journal of Communication Systems (IJCS). The first paper, “Q2ABR: QoE-aware adaptive video bit rate solution” by Lamine Amour et al, deals with the quality of experience (QoE) metrics. The paper presents a new adaptive bitrate streaming method. This method is based on estimating and monitoring users' video streaming experience, ensures a good user QoE and optimizes bandwidth utilization by monitoring video buffer fill rate to ensure minimal data traffic. The second paper, “A consistent QoS routing strategy for video streaming services in SDN networks,” co-authored by Djamel Eddine Henni, Abdelghani Ghomari, and Yassine Hadjadj-Aoul, proposes a network architecture that guarantees the consistency of the decisions to be taken in a SDN network. A consistent QoS routing strategy is then introduced in a way that avoids any quality degradation of prioritized traffic while optimizing resources usage. Tran Anh Quang Pham et al present in the third paper, “Virtual network function–forwarding graph embedding: A genetic algorithm approach,” a genetic algorithm-based scheme to solve multi-objective Network Function Virtualization-Forwarding Graphs allocation to deploy and manage network and telecommunications' services. A typical service can be expressed in the form of a virtual network function–forwarding graph (VNF-FG). Allocating a VNF-FG is equivalent to place VNFs and virtual links onto a given substrate