TheInstitute Dec 2014

8/10/2019 TheInstitute Dec 2014

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V O L U M E 3 8 I S S U E 4 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 T H E I N S T I T U T E . I E E E .O

6ReinventingCommunicationsNetworks 8

The Impact ofSoftware on OurEveryday Lives 12

PresidentsColumn: MoviIEEE Forward9

Five Skills forManaging FutureNetworks

SPECIAL REPORT

SOFTWARE-DEFINEDNETWORKS

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BRIEFINGS

Shoop Is Chosen

as President-ElectI E E E F E L L O W Barry L. Shoophas been chosen as 2015 IEEEpresident-elect. He will begin servingas IEEE president on 1 January 2016.

Shoop received 15,972 votes inthis years election. Of the othercandidates for president-elect,Fellow Tariq S. Durrani garnered14,831 votes and Life FellowFrederick C. Mintzer received14,056. The results were madeofficial when the IEEE Board ofDirectors accepted the TellersCommittee report at its November

meeting, in New Brunswick, N.J.Shoop is professor of electricalengineering and head of the elec-trical engineering and computerscience department at the U.S. Mili-tary Academy, in West Point, N.Y.He is responsible for a departmentserving 2,300 students annually.

He joined the f aculty of WestPoint in 1993 and has held anumber of leadership positions,including director of the electri-cal engineering program and thePhotonics Research Center. Whileon sabbatical in 2006 and 2007,he served as chief scientist forthe U.S. Department of DefenseJoint Improvised ExplosiveDevice Defeat Organization, aUS $4.5 billion program address-ing the IED problem worldwide.

A fellow of the Optical Society ofAmerica and the International Soci-ety for Optics and Photonics (SPIE),Shoop received the 2008 OSA RobertE. Hopkins Leadership Award, the2013 SPIE Educator Award, and the2013 IEEE Haraden Pratt Award.

He served on the IEEE Board ofDirectors from 2006 to 2010 and

was 20 10 vice president of IEEEMember and Geographic ActivitIEEE secretary in 2008 and 2009and Region 1 director in 2006 an

2007. As leader of the IEEE Enteprise Engineering team in 2006and 2007, he led the transformation of the IEEE Regional ActivitBoard into the IEEE Member anGeographic Activities Board. Hehas served on the IEEE ExecutivStrategic Planning, New Initiativand Audit committees.

Amanda D

Five Ways toImprove IEEEH E R E A R E TH E T O P FI V E

recommendations for improvingIEEE, worded as they were voted

upon by the 294primary section degates at the IEEE Sections Congreheld 2224 August in Amsterdam.

Include free access to the IEEE[Xplore] Digital Library as a membenefit. Promote other IEEE servand products based on their usagand preferences (adopt Google bness model).

Develop an incentive and recognition program for companies thainvest in full or partial support of temployees IEEE membership due

Introduce loyalty rewards sucas publication access, conferenfees, [and] standards for continumembership.

Provide a tool to build, promotrecord, host, and broadcast techncal events at the local level and mthem available to IEEE members

Enhance vTools for better usabity by volunteers and provide atraining program to the sections.

Kathy P

T H E I N S T I T U T E . I E E E .

December

51914: Birth date of

Charles A. Meyer,

founder and first chair

of the Institute of Radio

Engineers Professional

Group on EngineeringWriting and Speech. (The

IRE was one of IEEEs

predecessor societies.)

171824: Birth date of John

Kerr, the physicist who

discovered the effect of

electrical and magnetic

fields on lightnow

known as the Kerr effect.


Steve Kirsch, inventor

of the optical mouse.

281895: Inventors Auguste

and Louis Lumire debut

their cinmatographe,

the first motion-picture

apparatus[above], to

a paying audience.

291952: The Sonotone 1010,the first commercial

transistorized hearing

aid, hits the market. It was

developed and manu-

factured by Sonotone

Corp. of Elmsford, N.Y.

FROM TOP: MARK DUNN/ALAMY; ISTOCKPHOTO; SSPL/GETTY IMAGES; DE AGOSTINI/GETTY IMAGES

See our interactive calendar for photos and videos of these important dates inengineering history at http://theinstitute.ieee.org/briefings/calendar. Historical eventsare provided by the IEEE History Center. IEEE events are indicated in red.

Alan Turings Automatic Computing

Engine, unveiled in 194 6

2 T H E I N S T I T U T E D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 42

January

81918: U.S. President

Woodrow Wilsons

14 Points address to Con-

gress is transmitted to

Europe by the New Bruns-

wick Naval Radio Station,in New Jersey. Built in 1913

by the Marconi Wireless

Telegraph Co., the station

was the main link between

the United States and

Europe during World War I.


Heinrich Daniel

Ruhmkorff, a German

engineer who invented

the high-voltage induction

coil that bears his name.

221775: Birth date ofAndr-

Marie Ampre [below],considered the father of

electromagnetism. The

unit for measuring electric

currentthe ampere

is named after him.

231909: One of IREs found-

ing organizations, the

Wireless Institute, is

formed in New York City.


Ernst Frederick Werner

Alexanderson,inventor of

a radio alternator, a high-

power radio-frequency

source. It was named an

IEEE Milestone in 1992.

February

49IEEE Meeting Series, in

New Orleans [above].

71920: Birth date ofAn

Wang, a pioneer of

ferrite core memory

and founder of Wang

Laboratories, a devel-

oper of early computers,

in Cambridge, Mass.

191946: Alan Turing delivers

the design for theAuto-

matic Computing Engine

[top], an early electronic

stored-program computer.

291860: Birth date of HermanHollerith, inventor of

punched-card equip-

ment for data process-

ing and founder of the

Tabulating Machine Co.,

which became IBM.

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T H E I N S T I T U T E . I E E E . O R G D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 T H E I N S T I T U T E

Herz Award Goesto Fran Zappulla

F R A N Z A P P U L L A has beenchosen to receive the 2014 IEEE EricHerz Outstanding Staff MemberAward for outstanding leadershipin the success of IEEE publications.She was presented with the awardin November at the IEEE MeetingSeries, in New Brunswick, N.J.

Zappulla [right] has been seniordirector of publishing operations,in Piscataway, N.J., since 1999. Shejoined IEEE in 1989 as director of artand production for IEEE Spectrum.The following year, she was namedoperations director of the magazine,and in 1993 she became associate

publisher of the magazine as well asthe IEEE magazine and newsletterdepartment. She was promoted in1996 to director of IEEE periodicals,a position she held until 1999.

In her 25 years with the organiza-tion, she has helped IEEEs publishingoperations shift from print to elec-

tronic publishing, significantly short-ened the time it takes for researchpapers to be published, and reducededitorial and production costs.

The IEEE Board of Directors cre-ated the Herz Award in 2005 to honorlongtime volunteer Eric Herz, whoserved in many capacities, includingIEEE general manager and execu-tive director. The award recognizes a

present or past full-time staff mem-ber of the IEEE with at least 10 yearsof service for demonstrated contribu-tions over a long period of time.

The nomination deadline forthe 2015 Herz Award is 31 Janu-ary. For more information, visithttp://www.ieee.org/about/awards/recognitions_herz.html. A.D.

IEEE to LaunchEight NewPublicationsE I G H T E L E C T R O N I C I E E E

publications are scheduled to debutnext year. They will be available inthe IEEE Xplore Digital Library.

IEEE Transactions on CognitiveCommunications and Networkingwill explore applications of learning,memory, and adaptive approachesto the design of communicationssystems. It will also cover artificialintelligence, software-defined net-

working, and cognitive radio.

Another journal, IEEE Trans-actions on Molecular, Biological,and Multi-Scale Communication

will cover the principles, designand analysis of communicationsystems that rely on principles ophysics beyond classical elec-tromagnetism. That includes

molecular, quantum, and otherphysical, chemical, and biologictechniques.

IEEE Transactions on Multi-Scale Computing Systemswillpublish research on micro- andnanoscale computing systems adata-processing technologies.

Inspiring the FutureDonate and Enable the Impact of IEEE through IEEE Foundation

IEEEFoundation

Your generous donations motivate students and young professionals,

enable innovators to make a difference, promulgate technologys influence

on the world and inspire the future.

Dedicated to providing philanthropic services to support the core purpose

of IEEEAdvancing Technology For Humanity.

Visit ieeefoundation.orgto learn more.

EDUCATION INNOVATION PRESERVATION

Be an inspiration. Donate Today. ieee.org/donate

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4 T H E I N S T I T U T E . I E E E .T H E I N S T I T U T E D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 44

Student branch formed at BritishUniversity, Cairo.

Student branch formed at University ofWarwick, Coventry, England.

Student branch at University ofBordeaux, France,forms IEEE MicrowaveTheory and Techniques Society chapter.

Student branch formed at ChemnitzUniversity of Technology, Germany.

Student branch formed at SikkimManipal University, Accra, Ghana.

Greece Sectionforms joint chapter ofIEEE Antennas and Propagation, ElectronDevices, and Microwave Theory and Tech-niques societies.

Student branch atAristotle University ofThessaloniki, Greece, forms IEEE Engineer-ing in Medicine and Biology Society chapter.

Student branch formed at University ofHuman Development, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq.

Lebanon Section forms IEEE Engi-neering in Medicine and Biology Societychapter.

Norway Sectionforms IEEE YoungProfessionals affinity group.

9REGION L A T I N A M E R I C A

Student branch at theUniversidade of Braslia formsIEEE Aerospace and ElectronicSystems and IEEE Engineering in

Medicine and Biology society chapters.

Student branches in Colombia at Univers-idad Nacional de Colombia, Manizales,andUniversidad de Nario form IEEE Women inEngineering (WIE) affinity groups.

Student branch formed atUniversidaddel Caribe, Santo Domingo, DominicanRepublic.

Student branch formed atUniversidadSan Francisco de Quito, Ecuador.

Honduras Sectionforms IEEE WIEaffinity group.

Student branch formed atUniversidadTecnolgica Centroamericana, Teguci-galpa, Honduras.

1

REGION N O R T H E A S T E R N

U N IT E D S TA T ES

New Jersey Coast Section

forms IEEE Power & EnergySociety chapter.

Green Mountain (Vt.) SectionformsIEEE Electron Devices Society chapter.

Providence (R.I.) Section forms jointchapter of IEEE Oceanic Engineering andSignal Processing societies.

4REGION C E N T R A L U N I T E D

S T A T E S

Student branch at IndianaUniversityPurdue University,Indianapolis,forms IEEE Indus-

try Applications Society chapter.

Student branch at University of Illinois,Urbana-Champaign,forms joint chapterof IEEE Power & Energy, Power Electronics,

and Industry Applications societies.

5REGION S O U T H W E S T E R N

U N IT E D S TA T ES

Student branch formed atUniversity of Houston.

6REGION W E S T E R N U N I T E D

S T A T E S

Coastal Los Angeles Sectionforms IEEE Life Members affin-ity group.

Metropolitan Los Angeles Sectionforms IEEE Photonics Society chapter.

7REGION C A N A D A

Kingston (Ontario) Sec-tion forms joint chapter of IEEE

Antennas and Propagation andIEEE Microwave Theory and

Techniques societies.

8REGION E U R O P E , MI D D L E E A S T ,

A N D A F RI CA

Student branch formedatUniversity of Boumerdes,

Algeria.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Sectionformsjoint chapter of IEEE Industry Applicationsand Power Electronics societies.

Student branch at University ofSarajevo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina,forms IEEE Communications Societychapter.

Student branch atAalborg University,Denmark,forms IEEE Industry Applica-tions Society chapter.

Student branch atAlexandria Univer-sity, Egypt,forms IEEE Solid-State CircuitsSociety chapter.

Quertaro (Mexico) Section formsIEEE Systems, Man, and CyberneticsSociety chapter.

Student branch atUniversidad CatSanto Toribio de Mogrovejo, Chiclayo,Peru, forms IEEE Industry Application

Society chapter.

10REGION A S I A A N D P A C I F I C

Western A ustrali aSection forms joint chapof IEEE Computational Inligence and IEEE Robotic

and Automation societies.

Beijing Section forms IEEE Roboticsand Automation Society chapter.

Wuhan (China) Sectionforms IEEEControl Systems Society chapter.

Xian (China) Sectionforms IEEE Eletromagnetic Compatibility Society cha

Bangalore (India) Sectionforms IEERobotics and Automation Society chap

Hyderabadand

Madras sections (Inform IEEE Computational IntelligenceSociety chapters.

Kansai (Japan) Sectionforms IEEE Waffinity group.

Korea Council forms IEEE OceanicEngineering Society chapter.

Malaysia Sectionforms IEEE Comptional Intelligence Society chapter.

New Zealand Central Section formsIEEE Computational Intelligence Sociechapter.

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IEEE Transactions onTransportation Electrificationwill focus on components,subsystems, standards, andgrid-interface technologiesrelated to power and energyconversion, propulsion, andactuation for electrified vehicles.

IEEE Transactions on BigDatawill deal w ith ana lytics,infrastructure, standards,performance analysis, intel-ligence, security, privacy, andscientific discovery.

IEEE Systems, Man, andCybernetics Magazinewillnot only include articles onhuman-machine interfaces andsystems engineering but willalso highlight the IEEE Systems,Man, and Cybernetics Societyseducational programs, confer-ences, and other activities.

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CORRECTIONCensus and Sensibility [September,

p. 9] incorrectly stated that William

the Conqueror defeated Edward

the Confessor. He defeated the

English king, Harold Godwinson.

Avail able 8 De cemb er at

theinstitute.ieee.org

TECH HISTORY

An IEEE Milestone honors thefirst flight in which the pilotrelied solely on instruments.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Three IEEE members havebeen recognized by other

organizations.

Region News

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T

O D A Y S telecommu-nications networks arerather static and complex,involving equipment suchas transmission nodes,

routers, switches, and middle-boxes, including firewalls, net-

work address translators, andintrusion-detection systems. TheIP packet traffic that flows fromthemand where it goes iscontrolled by management andcontrol rules and policies. Man-agement covers faults, configu-ration, accounting, performance,and security. Current networks arerather static and inflexible, and

this makes it difficult to cope wifuture dynamic service demandand the need to quickly introducinnovative new technology.

Add to that advances in technogy and the decreasing cost of IT ultrabroadband connectivity as was the Internet of Things, with its blions of new devices laden with sesors. And then there is the growinavailability of relatively inexpensiopen-source software and the fallprice of hardwareboth calling fnetworks to become more flexibleand easier to upgrade.

Many experts, including IEEsay much can be gained from th

W I T H A D V A N C E S in IT andcloud computing, the increasingnumber of intelligent machines,and the advent of the Internet ofThings, the traffic on telecommu-nications networks is expected toskyrocket. Meanwhile, hardwarecosts are tumbling, and more andmore open-source software isavailable. Its clear that a change

is needed in how networks aredesigned and operated.Enter software-defined

networks. SDNs could transformnetwork architecture and serviceprovisioning and delivery. Theyare networks of equipment thatdecouple hardware (which doessuch things as forwarding IP pack-ets) from software (the controlplane that carries signaling trafficfor routing through the networkdevices). SDNs may run suchsoftware either in the cloud or inclusters of distributed IT serversas well as in the equipment, whichuntil recently was the only option.

SDN technology will supportthe changing nature of futurenetworks while taking advantageof savings in equipment invest-ment and operating costs. Thatwill give operators the agility tocreate or program highly flexibleand dynamic networks capableof integrating and monitoringterminals, intelligent machines,and smart devices and even tocontrol robots to support innova-tive services. The advent of SDNs

is going to affect just about everypart of our lives.

Through its Software DefinedNetworks Initiative, IEEE is

working on many fronts toexplore the benefits of SDNs andnetwork functions virtualiza-tion, which is often paired withSDNs. The NFV concept, whichhas been around the computingindustry since the 1960s, appliesCPU virtualization and othercloud-computing technologiesto migrate network functionsfrom dedicated hardware tovirtual machines running ongeneral-purpose hardware.

The initiative was launched inMay 2013 under the IEEE FutureDirections Committee, theorganizations R&D arm. Initia-tive committees are working onconferences, education modules,standards, publications, andproof-of-concept models.

Our special report providesan overview of SDNs, including adiscussion of the concept of soft-warization of everything [see p. 8]and the skills needed to design andoperate the new networks [see p. 9].

And weve profiled IEEE MemberAntonio Manzalini, chair of theIEEE SDN Initiative [see p. 16].

This issue also highlightsIEEE products, standards, andconferences that can help mem-bers become more knowledge-able about the transformativeSDN architecture.

SPECIAL REPORT:

SOFTWARE-DEFINEDNETWORKS

ReinventingCommunicationNetworksIEEE sets the stage for software-defined networks B Y K A T H Y P R E T Z

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flexibility of software-definednetworks (SDNs). The term refersto networks of equipment that

separate the data plane (in w hichhardware does things such asforwarding IP packets towardtheir destination) from the controlplane (where, for example, soft-ware is in charge of routing andtraffic engineering). Moreover,in SDN the control software isnot necessarily executed in theequipment but potentially in thecloud or in standard processingresources, such as IT servers.

A key aspect of SDNs is thatthey provide an array of abstrac-tions and application program-ming interfaces (APIs) to programand control the functions and theservices of network resources.

When talking about SDNs,virtualization is often mentioned.Virtualization is about creatinglogical resources, which are piecesof software running on a hardwarehost and emulating hardwarecapabilities, such as an x86 CPU(x86 is a family of backward-compatible, instruction-set archi-tectures based on the workhorseIntel 8086 CPU). The novelty hereis that the functions of most equip-

ment, including the middleboxes,could be virtualized, incorporated,and moved as needed to variouslocations in the network.

SDNs and virtualization arenot new concepts, but thanks toimproved performance and lowercosts, will soon help reinvent

network and service architectures,experts say.

Future networks will rely moreand more on softwarewhich willaccelerate the pace of innovation,says IEEE Member Antonio Manza-lini, chair of the IEEE SoftwareDefined Networks Initiative. SDNsgive operators the agility of a highlyflexible and dynamic network,integrating IT and networkingresources, and are capable of hook-ing together at the edge the hugenumber of terminals, machines,smart things, and even robots,Manzalini says.

In fact, in time, the distinctionbetween the network and what con-nects to it will disappear, says Manza-lini, who is a senior manager at theFuture Centre, part of Telecom Italiasstrategy and innovation departmentin Turin [see his profile on p. 16].

BUILDING A COMMUNITY

Much about the new architecturehas yet to be defined. Thats why inMay 2013 IEEE launched its Soft-ware Defined Networks Initiative,designed to explore how the tech-nology will affect todays networks.The initiative has formed commit-

tees on education, certification ser-vices, publications, standards, andconferences, and it is establishingconnections with IEEE activities inrelated areas such as cloud comput-ing, the Internet of Things, and con-sumer electronics.

We want to create a largetechnical community of expertsin academia and industry acrossthe globe to work collaborativelyto face the new challenges, saysIEEE Fellow Prosper Chemouil,chair of the SDN ConferenceSubcommittee. He is director ofthe Future Networks program atOrange Labs, in Paris.

NETWORK NUANCES

To comprehend how SDNs work,its necessary to understand howtraditional communications net-

works operate.Each router and switch in a

network is controlled at differentlayers so as to consistently addresstraffic transported as packets.Control planes decide how toroute the traffic, which flows inthe data plane, and where network

applications are embedded. Muchof the networks intelligence forhow it deals with traffic is scatteredamong all the devices distributedalong the way.

The development of IP networksmainly relied on the distribution ofintelligence in various network ele-

ments, and it proved to be robustin providing end-to-end services.The need for a logically centralintelligence and control becomesclearer, however, when it comes toserving many types of applications

with diff erent quality-of-servicerequirements in a customizedmanner, Manzalini says.

That is where SDNs can makea difference. They can consoli-date the control plane so that asingle logically centralized soft-

ware program controls multiplehardware elements. The controlplane operates the state of the

networks data-plane elements (itsrouters, switches, and middleboxes)through well-defined APIs. It is thisinterface that enables applicationsto communicate with the infra-structure through an SDN controller,adds Chemouil.

The network is configured andcontrolled through software, givingnetwork providers more flexibilityin how they use their resources, hesays. In this sense, SDN control-lers might be logically centralized,depending on the requirements ofthe network architecture.

The future telecommunica-tions network will look more like adistributed computational system,he continues. That means a networkfunction could be executed eitherin the cloud or in the distributedtelecommunications nodes.

Software-defined networks areabout creating very dynamic virtualnetworks out of a variety of aggrega-tion nodes [routers with computingand storage capabilities], devices,and elements located at the edge ofthe network, down near the users,Chemouil says.

BLURRED LINES

The number of terminals, devices,and machines connected to tele-communications networks is grow-ing exponentially. Fortunately, theprinciples of SDNs and virtualiza-tion are creating the conditions forreinventing network architectures tosupport the flexibility and dynamicsof the growing number of advancedterminals and intelligent machinesat the edge.

The availability of open-source software and low-cost,high-performance IT hardware will

allow service providers to install,program, and execute functionsand services just like applicationManzalini says. To the networksand the clouds, platform-hookinterminals will look like a fluid virtual environment of services.

The border between cloud

computing and networking infrastructure will start to blur, he ad

The border between the networkand the terminals that are attachto the network will also disappeabecause network functions couldbe executed in the cloud, in thenetwork node, or even in terminanear the users.

VIRTUAL VISION

Network functions virtualization(NFV) is often paired with SDNsThe concept, which dates back tthe 1960s, aims to use CPU virtuization and other cloud-compu

technologies to migrate networkfunctions from dedicated hardwto virtual machines running ongeneral-purpose hardware. Virtuized network functions are appeing to network operators becausthey can be migrated and adaptto meet current demands and atthe same time increase the utili-zation of network resources anddecrease operating costs.

SDNs and NFV are mutually beficial, but according to Manzalinthey do not depend on one anothFor example, services can be devoped in software and executed

or emulated on logical resourceswithout deploying an SDN, and vversa. The combination can creatan environment of virtual resourinterconnected by virtual links thare easily set up and torn down toserve multiple applications.

Joining these two concepts cayield the most powerful networkterms of flexibility, programmabiand the ability to move virtual futions and resources while reducincosts and enabling new services,Manzalini says.

The IEEE SDN Initiative willtest experimental applications osoftware, such as network func-tions, services, capabilities, andhardware (nodes and systemsarchitectures), he says, enablingSDNs and NFV to perform andconform to standards.

The initiatives work will accerate SDN adoption by industry ahelp in creating new businesses,Manzalini says. SDNs will providopportunities not only for IEEE balso for the academic and industworlds to explore.

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TH E A D V E N T O F software-defined networks (SDNs)and network functionsvirtualization (NFV) is

going to affect just aboutevery part of our lives, includ-ing driving, shopping, and healthcare. Advances are making cloud-computer networks and virtual ITplatforms accessible to just aboutanyone on the so-called edge,where most of us hang out withour terminals: smartphones, tab-lets, and wearables. The boundarieshave been blurred between termi-nals and networks and betweennetworks and the cloud.

Embedded communications andprocessing are about putting every-thing about us in the cloud or in thefog (which extends cloud comput-ing to the edge of the network). Soonthere will be more software servicesand applications than ever before,experts say, leading to a plethora ofintelligent machines. The machineswill be able to sense, process, andexchange information, understandwhats happening around them, andadapt to change.

Advances in technology per-formance and decreasing costsof processing ultrabroadbandconnectivity are creating the

conditions for reinventing networkarchitectures so as to support flex-ibly and dynamically the burgeon-ing number of new advancedterminals and intelligent machinesat the edge, says IEEE Member

Antonio Manzalini, chair of the IEEESoftware Defined Networks Initia-tive. This will ultimately changethe socioeconomic landscape; its atechnological tipping point that willalter the space-time of society.

That software-enabled concept,as he refers to it, is being called

softwarization or IT-ization. SDNsand NFV will make telecommunica-tions infrastructures more pervasive,flexible, and capable of supportingall those terminals out there, hesays. Consider these examples ofmachines out on the edge that arepart of softwarization:

Self-driving vehicles, whichare expected to be commerciallyavailable by the end of this decade.They could save lives by reducingtraffic accidents.

Unmanned aerial vehiclesdroneswhich are becomingcommercially popular. Most areexpected to be used in agricul-ture. For example, farmers could

see patterns in their fields thatindicate soil variation, irrigationproblems, pest infestations, andchanges to healthy plants. Delivery

drones are anticipated as well.

Robots, which are already infactories and hospitals and on farms.They can do the same physical workas people, but they can do it for24 hours or more at a stretch, withminimal maintenance.

Medical sensors and actuators,which can be embedded in cloth-ing or as part of smartphone apps,along with wearable devices tomonitor heart rate, calories burned,blood sugar, and cholesterol.

Fitness apps and wearables,such as the Nike FuelBand, whichtrack walking, jogging, dancing,and other activities. Apps can helpplan healthy meals and monitorcaloric intake. Some fitness andnutrition apps are able to shareinformation via the cloud to moni-tor the users health. Apples newHealth app and its iOS 8 operatingsystem can present your informa-tion succinctly, because its Health-Kit software tool allows its healthand fitness apps to work together.

Intelligent personal assistants,such as Apples Siri and MicrosoftCortana and robot servant Jibo, whhelp people with daily activities.

Softwarization means that thethreshold of investment for new pers to enter the ICT [information a

communications technology] mawill dramatically decrease, Manzlini says, leading to the launch ofnew businesses and new forms ofcooperation and competition.

The changing roles and relationships among network service provers, content producers, consumerelectronics manufacturers, and telcommunications vendors will call new regulations, he says, particulato protect personal information.

CHANGING LANDSCAPE

Softwarization is likely to make oulives easier, and it is also likely to

affect the job market. Softwarizatican help reshape the economy byoptimizing processes. And forecapredict more things will be manuftured locallywhich, in turn, woureduce the need for long-distancetransportation. That would meanless energy waste and pollution.

Looking further into the futureManzalini says self-driving carsand trucks will reduce the need fohuman drivers. Smarter robots inagriculture and industry will reduthe risk of exposing people to harand hazardous environments, headds. Drones will replace postal

workers, messengers, and deliverdrivers, he says. Telecommunica-tions networks of the future willplay a key strategic role, he predicbecoming the nervous system othe digital society and economy.

This transition will require nvalue chains and different kindsjobs and workers, he says. Newskills will be needed. As technology races ahead, workers will hato be reallocated to tasks that coputers and intelligent machines

will never b e able to carry out,such as designing and educatinand doing other work that requcreativity and social intelligenc

Thats why the IEEE SDN Inititive is working on alerting educatemployers, politicians, and otherthe enormous impact that softwaization is likely to have.

Education will be very importin understanding the implicationof the transition toward the digitsociety and digital economy, as was identifying the new roles andskills required to deal with such atransition, Manzalini says.

Software AlreadyDefines Our LivesBut the impact of SDN will go beyond

networking alone B Y K A T H Y P R E T Z

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IN T O D A Y S N E T W O R K S ,

most management operationsare carried out by people. Butsoftware-defined networks(SDNs) are going to change that

by automating many processes toreduce human input and the mis-takes that can be made. And withthose changes, IT professionals

will need new skills.These people are going to be

on the front lines where SDNs aredesigned, operated, and managed.They will also be implementingpolicies that increase performanceand troubleshooting programsthat go awry. According to AntonioManzalini, chair of the IEEE

Software Defined Networks Initia-tive, IT and network engineers

will need to acquire a systemicmind-set aimed at integratingdesign and operations in data

centers and telecommunicationsnetworks, as the border betweenthe two domains blurs. These engi-neers will be in charge of enablingsuccessful SDN deployment.

NEW TALENT

With the softwarization of telecom-munications infrastructures[see p. 8], Manzalini says engineerswill need the following five skills todevelop new SDN tools, products,infrastructure, and applications:

The ability to incorporatknow-how from the IT an

network domains, which havegrown independently of eachother over the years but are noconverging.

An understanding of indutrial mathematics, a branc

of applied mathematics. Thosewith this knowledge will be better able to understand technicaissues, formulate precise andaccurate mathematical modelsand implement solutions usingthe latest computer techniques

An understanding of this field whelp in developing systems byapplying machine learning andcognitive algorithms, which areexpected to lessen the complexand dynamic nature of SDNs.

A mastery of software arctecture and open-source

software, which is needed to

develop SDN tools and applications. It will also be helpful tounderstand software verificatiand validation processes, whicensure that software meets spefications and fulfills its intendepurpose. Some engineers assutheyll need programming skillbut thats not necessarily so,because software applicationsfor SDNs from third parties arealready available.

A background in big-dataanalytics in order to under

stand how to handle the hugeamounts of data expected from

SDNs. Someone skilled in big-danalytics will not only be able tomanage more data but also knowthe right questions to ask shouldproblems arise. Such analytics walso help engineers make smartdata-driven decisions.

Expertise in cybersecuritybecause security must be

everywhere within SDNs. It neeto be built into the architectureand also must be delivered as aservice to protect the availabilitintegrity, and privacy of connecresources and information.

Education is very important,because the IT and networkingcommunities are speaking differlanguages, Manzalini says. Telecommunications engineers are tones who developed and are exeing the telecommunications metin place today. The IT peopledeveloped and are executing cloucomputing, so there is a conflictbetween the two specialties, comas they do from past architecture

We need to teach both of theto speak the same language.

Five Skills for

Managing Software-Defined NetworksWhat IT and network engineers willneed to succeed B Y K A T H Y P R E T Z

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11/20

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 T H E I N S T I T U T E

IMPROVING HEALTH

CARE THROUGH DATA

We highlighted ways that healthanalytics could cut costs andimprove care. Several readers wereoptimistic that big data could do so.

D. Holmes said, Its abouttime that the medical field startedusing more innovative ways tohelp improve the quality of healthcareespecially preventativecare. Gone should be the days

where a huge portion of medi-cine is about treating symptomsand not actually curing patientsconditions or even prevent-ing illnesses in the first place.

Maryam added, The accessto mountains of data and thepowerful simulation tools andalgorithms that enable us to getto answers quickly can only meanone thing: Providing better and lessexpensive health care worldwide.

SHOULD BI G DATA

DETERMINE SALARIES?

To offer employees competitive

pay, recruiters are turning tobig-data platforms for help withsetting salaries for workers within-demand skills.

One reader had concernsabout the practice: Relyingon compensation-informationservices enables companies toengage in wage fixing, or purposelyputting a cap on salaries, withoutactually conspiring directly withother companies in the industry.

Craig Hartmann had adifferent take: Companies aregathering data about what othercompanies believe to be a fair andreasonable wage to pay a personfor his or her services based onexperience, location, and skills.Companies do not want to offermuch higher salaries than theircompetitors. That is not wagefixing, just good business.

WITH BIG DATA COMES

BIG RESPONSIBILITY

In his column, IEEE PresidentJ. Roberto Boisson de Marca wroteabout the collection and analysis ofpersonal data.

Roger Graves is leery of thepractice: If a company analyzesmy spending habits and decidesthat I am likely to buy cookies thisSunday, it may send me a coupon,but I am under no obligation touse the coupon or buy the cookiesHowever, if my health insurancecompany decides that my cookie-buying habits put me at greaterrisk of health problems, it mayraise my medical insurance premi

ums, and I would have no optionbut to pay those premiums.

ASK THE EXPERTS

We invited readers to submit theirquestions about big data to IEEEexperts in the field. A selection ofquestions and the experts responsewere published online on 1 Octobe

One reader asked, Is big datamerely a recent marketing term,or can it actually provide us withnew information we couldnt get afew years ago? IEEE Fellow GradyBrooch, chief scientist for soft-

ware engineering at IBM Almaden

Research Laboratory, in San Jose,Calif., said, I worked with militarand industrial groups in the 1980sand 1990s that collected largevolumes of data. The differencenow is that data is no longer usedfor these niche purposes aloneand has instead become part ofthe mainstreamits availableto just about any industry.

Another reader inquired, Whais the difference between bigdata and large amounts of data,and where is the line drawn?IEEE Fellow Manish Parashar,founding director of the RutgersDiscovery Informatics Institute,in Piscataway, N.J., responded,

Although increasing volumes,velocity, and variety are importandimensions of big data, even morimportant is the tremendousimpact that the data can have onbusiness, engineering, medicine,science, and society at large.

Join the conversation by visiting

http://theinstitute.ieee.org.New articles

and blog posts are added each week.

The Buzz About Big DataIn September, The Institute reported on the work of IEEEmembers to make sense of the worlds growing mountainsof data. It also reported on several big-data applications.

Here are some readers comments from our website aboutarticles in that issue, which have been edited for space.

OPINIONS

Should TechCompaniesHire Hackers?As more businesses rely on software-definednetworks, the need to keep their systems securebecomes paramount. Google, Tesla Motors, and

other companies have decided that rather than tryto outsmart hackers, they will protect themselvesby hiring them.

Shortly after hacker George Hotz dismantled thedefenses of Googles open-source Chromeoperating system in March, the company hiredhim to join its Project Zero team to detect securityflaws in its software. And in August, Teslaannounced it would hire 30 hackers to try to breakinto its all-electric Model S. The Tesla electronicssecurity team would be the biggest in the auto

industry. With so much of the companys vehiclesdependent on software, Tesla wants the hackers touncover any vulnerabilities.

Do you think companies should hire hackers touncover security glitches, or should they leave itto their engineers?

Respond to this question by commenting online athttp://theinstitute.ieee.org/opinions/question.

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WH E N Y O U A R E

president, you getonly four of thesecolumns during

your term to writeabout topics youre interestedin. In the past, I have shared mythoughts on the emerging tech-nologies of the day, the role IEEEis playing or could play there, and

the issues that all of us, as engi-neers, must focus on. But what ofIEEE itself?

We are more than just confer-ences, or just publications, or justmembers and volunteers. We are avibrant community, growing everyyear, producing more diverse andinsightful work than any similarorganization in the world. We areall this, but we are much more.

In the past year, we have seenour Women in Engineering affinitygroup hold its inaugural Interna-tional Leadership Conference. Itwas a resounding success, andit should serve as inspiration forsimilar future endeavors through-out IEEE. Another importanteffort under way is to organize ourhumanitarian technology activi-ties to guarantee that IEEE willincrease its impact in this mostimportant area.

Likewise, we have seen tremen-dous growth in our program Engi-neering Projects in CommunityService (EPICS) in IEEE. In this out-reach program, section volunteersmentor IEEE student and graduatestudent members as they workwith high school students on engi-neering projects that can help theircommunities. EPICS is affectingyoung technologists the world overand changing the lives of individu-als and communities.

And even mo re excit ing pos-sibilities arose this year. Chiefamong them was a demonstra-tion model of IEEEs ProfessionalProductivity and CollaborationTools (PPCT), an online commu-nity where IEEE members andother technology professionalsin similar fields can connect,

collaborate, create, and savetime managing research collec-tions and discover new ideas orcareer opportunities. PPCT willbe a significant step forward inaddressing a long-term need ofthe IEEE membership. It has thepotential to be a transforma-tive agent of change within ourglobal community.

Another promising develop-ment for IEEE is the evolution ofits role in continuing professionaleducation. Throughout 2014,

we dedicated time, energy, andexpertise to this important field.

As technology evolves exponen-tially and R&D, innovation, andproduction become increasinglyglobal, technology professionalsmust continue to learn throughouttheir careers.

It is imperative that IEEEbe one of the driving forces inprofessional education. We musttake advantage of modern onlineplatforms and our unique world-

wide volunteer corps, which canprovide a local perspective on theskills needed by local businessesalmost anywhere on our planet.

IEEE must still focus on answer-ing several questions, however:

How do we enhance the mem-bership experience and providecontent and value to those whochoose to be part of the IEEEcommunity? Is our current infrastructure ofregions, councils, sections, andsubsections the best one and ifits not, what should a new struc-ture look like? What is the best way to expandour preuniversity offerings toencourage more young people topursue science, engineering, andtechnology careers? How can IEEE best improve itsengagement with industry and

with the countless numbers of pro-fessionals working within industry?How can IEEE change itsbusiness model to adapt to thenew reality that people expect

raw information for free but arewilling to pay for value-addedservices that result in knowledgethat helps solve the problemsthey are working on? What will be the role of profes-sional organizations such as IEEEin a future where people increas-ingly use social media platformsto satisfy their need for network-

ing and professional informationexchange? Finding an answer tothis is already a challenge, andit will become more so with theevolution of social media tools. How can IEEE keep its volun-teers motivated and engaged sothat it can continue to be theleading source of trustworthyand unbiased information, whichis essential to its success in anincreasingly cyberfocused society?

This is not intended to be anexhaustive list of the challengesfacing IEEE; it is merely a brief

list of what must be paramount inour thinking in the coming years.I do know one thing about

these questions. No one individ-ual among us, including myself,has all the answers to all of them.But together, as the global IEEEcommunity, we canand willanswer these questions.

All the programs I mentionedare the result of dozens, hundreds,even thousands of individuals

working within the world of IEEE.A future of promise and possibilitylies ahead. We in IEEE will buildthat future as we have been doingsince 1884together.

I thank you all for an extra-ordinary year and would like tohear your thoughts on IEEEsfuture. Please share them with [email protected].

J. Roberto Boisson de MarcaIEEE President and CEO

P R E S I D E N T S C O L U M N

IEEE, 2014

and Forward

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13/20

WI T H T H E L A U N C H

of the IEEE SoftwareDefined Networks Ini-tiative, resources are

being developed to get membersup to speed on SDN technology.Heres whats available.

WEB PORTAL

A good place to start is the SDN Webportal (http://sdn.ieee.org),which

carries news of the latest IEEEactivities, research articles, andupcoming conferences and events.

EDUCATION

On the Web portal, under the Edu-cation tab, is a library of onlinetutorials and courses. There youcan watch a video on, say, howSDNs will shape networking or sitthrough an introductory tutorialon OpenFlowthe first standardcommunications interface definedbetween the control and forward-ing layers of the SDN architec-ture. You can also take an online

course taught by professors atWashington University, in St. Louis,and Georgia Tech that explains theins and outs of SDNs and networkfunctions virtualization.

PUBLICATIONS

The IEEE CommunicationsSociety ran a special issue inAugust on SDNs and virtualiza-tion trends in its online publica-tion,ComSoc Technology News.The issue examined how the shiftto SDNs could reinvent networkcomputing platforms and net-work architectures. Included inthe issue was Are We Ready forSDN? Implementation Challengesfor Software-Defined Networks.

IEEE Transactions on Networkand Service Managementis tobe introduced in March with aspecial issue on efficient SDNmanagement and network func-tions virtualization.

TECHNICAL ARTICLES

The IEEE Xplore Digital Libraryhas several research articleson SDNs. The IBM Journal of


BENEFITS

Sources of Information on SDNsIEEE offers technical articles andonline courses B Y M O N I C A R O Z E N F E L D

Working

Towardthe NextGenerationof NetworksIEEE standards projecaim to advance SDNsB Y M O N I C A R O Z E N F E L D

TH E I E E E Communica-tions Society met in April

with experts from academand seven leading commu

nications companies to discussstandardization opportunities fsoftware-defined networks. Themeeting resulted in the estab-lishment of two research groupand two study groups, which arexpected to lead to IEEE Standa

Associat ion work ing groups.Two related IEEE projects are

already under way: P1903 andP802.1CF.

G R O U P E F F O R T

The Research Group on SoftwareDefined and Virtualized

Wireless Access is working oninteroperability issues, ways toextend software-defined networtechnology to mobile devices, thuse of SDNs to control and prognetwork resources, and methodsfor extracting and managinginformation necessary for wirelenetwork controllers.

The Research Group onStructured Abstractions isidentifying and formulatingstandardization efforts. The grouis working on creating the objectstructure of the common data laythat the integration frameworkcomponents use for applicationmessage processing. This is needfor standardizing network interfaand descriptors.

The Study Group on ServiceVirtualization hopes to leveragethe existing body of work onnext-generation service overlaynetworks. The goal is to providenew capabilities by merging andexploiting real-time service, termi

Research and Developmentpublished Software-DefinedNetworking to Support theSoftware-Defined Environ-ment in May. It covered sev-eral technologies used for SDNsand the benefits they offerto service providers and endusers. The article also presentsIBMs vision for the technology,describing how it will work tovirtualize the underlying physi-cal network infrastructure andautomate resource provisioning.

Other papers include Soft-warization of Future Networksand Services: ProgrammableEnabled Networks as Next-Generation Software-DefinedNetworks, published in the2013 IEEE SDN for Future Net-

works and Services conferenceproceedings. Another paper,

Software-Defined Networking(SDN): A Reference Architectureand Open APIs, ran in the 2012International Conference on ICTConvergence proceedings andcovered application program-ming interfaces (APIs) andarchitecture for open network-ing environments.

BUILDING A COMMUNITY

From the Web portal, you can also

join the IEEE Software DefinedNetworks Technical Community, agroup that helps promote IEEEsrole in advancing SDN technologyby furthering research, organizingconferences, testing applicationplatforms, and more.

SOCIAL NETWORKS

The SDN initiative has its ownFacebook group (http://facebook.com/IEEESDN) where the latestdevelopments can be shared anddiscussed. To follow the activities ofthe initiatives working group, visitits blog (http://ieee-sdn.blogspot.com). Written by the groups mem-bers, topics include the mind-setand skills required to work in thefield, an estimate of how big themarket is for SDNs, and how toadapt to an SDN environment.

IEEE.tv offers videos on thetopic, including one from IEEESenior Member Roberto Saracco,chair of the Future DirectionsCommittee, who presents hisview on the benefits to b e gainedby switching to SDN technology.

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14/20


Conferences: FebruaryMay 2015IEEE events cover topics related to software-defined networks

IEEE International

Conference on Intelligence inNext-Generation NetworksPARIS; 1719 FEBRUARY

TOPICS: Paradigms for commu-nications architectures, content-centric networks, context-basedcommunications, requirementsfor NFV and cloud technolo-gies, service chaining, virtualnetwork functions as a service,energy efficiency and manage-ment, and the Internet of Things.SPONSOR: IEEE

Communications Society

VISIT:http://www.icin.co.uk

Workshop on Softwa re-Defined Networkingand Network Functions

Virtualization for Flex ibleNetwork ManagementCOTTBUS, GERMANY; 12 MARCH

TOPICS:Held in conjunctionwith the Inter national Confer-

ence on Networked Systems

(913 March), the workshopwill cover SDN and NFVarchitectures and applica-tions, network monitoring andquality, reliability of virtualizednetwork functions, SDN-baseddeployment and manage-ment, SDN and NFV security,and theoretical foundationsof SDN and NFV networks.SPONSOR: IEEE

VISIT: https://www.netsys2015.

com/workshops-tutorials/sdnflex

IEEE Conference onComputer CommunicationsHONG KONG; 26 APRIL1 MAY

TOPICS:SDN applications,computer and data communica-tions networks, cognitive radionetworks, information-centricnetworking, network science andvirtualization, overlay and peer-to-peer networks, Web applica-tions, and content distribution.

SPONSOR: IEEE


VISIT: http://infocom2015.

ieee-infocom.org

IFIP/IEEE InternationalSymposium on IntegratedNetwork ManagementOTTAWA; 1115 MAY

TOPICS:Network and servicemanagement with respect toitems like SDN, the Internetof Things, content distribu-tion networks, data centers,storage area networks, cloudcomputing services, policy-based management, program-mable networks, NF V, servicechaining, operations andbusiness support systems, anddata analytics and mining.SPONSORS: International

Federation for Information

Processing (IFIP), IEEE


VISIT:http ://im2015.ieee-im.org

and network information foreach network. The group alsoplans to define service-specificfunctions for virtualization andsoftwarization.

The Study Group on Security,Reliability, and Performancefor Software-Defined and

Virtualized Ecosystems isworking to identi fy critical SDNframework details includingservice virtualization priorityclasses; reliability, security,and performance use casesand applications; and keyperformance indicators.

R E L A T E D P R O J E C T S

The following standards areunder development by IEEEwork ing g roups.

IEEE P1903Next Generation Service Overlay

Networks (NGSON) is an IEEECommunications Societysponsored effort to standardize aservice ecosystem for the benefitof network operators, service andcontent providers, and end users.Protocols are being developed forservice creation, content delivery,and self-organizing management.

A reference frameworkof IP-based service overlaynetworks for collaborativeand customer-centric servicedelivery has been standardizedalready. It includes context-aware, dynamically adaptive,and self-organizing networkcapabilities such as advancedrouting and forwarding schemes.The goals are to accelerate theproliferation of SDN servicesand applications and to offer amore efficient way of providingthem through a service-architecture ecosystem ofone-stop shopping for service-specific challenges.

IEEE P802.1CFOpen Mobile Network Interfacefor Omni-Range Area Networks(OmniRAN) is focused onnetwork reference models andfunctional descriptions based onthe family of IEEE 802 standards,which deal with local andmetropolitan area networks. Theproject encompasses work onfunctional entities and referencepoints along with behavioraland functional descriptions ofcommunications involved in SDNs.

For more information, visit

http://standards.ieee.org.

IEEE Conferenceon NetworkSoftwarizationLONDON; 1317 APRIL

TOPICS: Architectures of software-defined networks (SDNs), program-ming interfaces and languages,debugging tools, network functionsvirtualization (NFV), network andservice management, SDN secu-

rity and quality of service, life cyclemanagement, energy-efficient andsoftware-defined infrastructures, andSDN support for big-data applications.

SPONSORS: IEEE Communications, Computer,

Consumer Electronics, and Signal Processing

societies and IEEE Future Directions Committee

VISIT:http://sites.ieee.org/netsoft

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15/20

2015

Security Management of NextGeneration TelecommunicationsNetworks and ServicesBY STUART JACOBS (2014)

A guide for improv-ing the security ofenterprise andservice-providernetworks, includingvirtualized networks.The book reviews

key securityconcepts, such as authentication,threats, and vulnerabilities. It alsodetails effective approaches toencryption, and it covers theimportance of governance in

analyzing security standards andmanagement frameworks.

Large Sca le Network-Centric Distributed SystemsEDITED BY HAMID SARBAZI-AZAD

AN D AL BE RT Y. ZO MA YA (2 01 4)

An in-depthreference that coversdesign and perfor-mance issues related

to wired and wire-less networks.Chapters includeinformation on grid

and cloud computing, systems-on-a-chip, and middleware support.

Complex-ValuedNeural Networks:

Advanc es and Applic ationsEDITED BY AKIRA HIROSE (2013)

A comprehensiveresource thatpresents recent

advances. Includedare a variety ofapplications inwhich signals areanalyzed andprocessed, such as

communications and image-processing systems and brain-computer interfaces.

Mobile Ad HocNetworking:Cutting Edge Directions,Second EditionEDITED BY STEFANO

BASAGNI ET AL. (2013)

A look at recent research anddevelopments. The authors reviewnetworks that have successfullyadopted the multihop ad hocmethod and explore how these

networks havepenetrated the mmarket and sparbreakthroughresearch. The booffers tools forlearning aboutactuator, robot, a

sensor networkin

Global Networks: EngineerinOperations, and DesignB Y G . K E I T H C A M B R ON ( 2 0 1 3 )

A compendium otrends thatexamines ways tdevelop, introduand managetelecommunica-tions technologieIt includes how t

design networks that are fault-tolerant and global in scope and

how to identify best practices.

E-Books onNetworking SystemsH E R E S A S A M P L E of IEEE e-books that focus on a variety of networks.To view the books, log in to the IEEE Xplore Digital Library a nd click on

Books & eBooks in the left-hand navigation menu. You can then browse orsearch by tit le and download a PDF of an excerpt or of selected chapters.To order books, visit http://www.wiley.com.

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16/20


BY T H E E N D of this decade,billions of new termi-nals and devices, includ-ing smartphones, tablets,and robots, will have come

out on the market, each contain-ing embedded communications anddozens, if not hundreds, of sensorsand actuators. Telecommunicationsinfrastructure will play a key role,becoming the nervous system of adigital society and economy by sup-porting this tremendous number ofnew terminals and devices.

To keep up, many in the IT andtelecom communities say a newarchitectural modelsoftware-defined networks (SDNs) togetherwith network functions virtualiza-tion (NFV)will be needed. Bydecoupling hardware from software,SDN technology is expected to makenetworks simpler to manage, moreflexible, quicker to build and deploy,and more cost-effective. Virtualiza-tion, on the other hand, will allowcost optimizations.

IEEE Member Antonio Manzalini,chair of the IEEE Software DefinedNetworks Initiative, wants to makesure that the sweeping transition willcreate new socioeconomic opportu-nities. Imagine, for example, the busi-ness ecosystems that will be createdby the synergies of SDN and cloudrobotics: new mobile robotssmarterand controlled through the networkwill be exploited for industrial andagricultural tasks, easing the burdenon workers while optimizing theprocesses. He is helping to make thattransition a success through experi-mental activities, standardization,and explaining and promoting SDNtechnology through the media, work-shops, publications, and conferences.The first-ever IEEE Conference onNetwork Softwarization is scheduledfor 13 to 17 April in London [see p. 14].

The network of the future willseamlessly interconnect a tremen-dous number of terminals, devices,machines, and smart objects at theedgewhere the users arewith the

enormous processing power availablein the cloud, Manzalini says. Cloudcomputing, SDNs, and NFV are dif-ferent facets of the same worldwide

industry transformation towardthe IT-ization of any process.

DEFINING FUTURE NETWORKS

Manzalini has been working forTelecom Italia for almost 25 years.Since 2007, he has been a senior man-ager at the Future Centre in Turin,Italy, part of the telecommunica-tions giants strategy and innovationdepartment. He is in charge of investi-gating SDN, NFV, and 5G technologies,enabling innovative service scenar-ios, and foreseeing their potentialsocioeconomic impact. In additionto hands-on research and innovation,

he works with global industries andacademic partners to define require-ments and standards for future tele-communications infrastructure.

Current telecom networks canbe thought of as interconnectedcomplexes of equipment such astransport nodes, routers, switches,and middleboxes that shuttle datatraffic from one node to the nextacross the network. The equipmentis mostly based on specialized hard-

ware and closed software.SDNs separate the hardware

(which forwards the data packets)from the software (which is incharge of controlling the routers).One main novelty is the fact thatsoftware is then executed not neces-sarily in the equipment but poten-tially in the cloud or on distributedservers. Another key aspect of SDNsis a wide number of abstractionsand application programmableinterfaces to program the functionsand services of network resources.

Nevertheless, SDNs shouldnot be seen as the next genera-tion of switching and networking,Manzalini says. Simply put, throughSDNs and NFV, all the network func-tions provided today by middleboxescould be virtualized and executed inthe cloud and in various locations inthe network as required. That givesadministrators cost savings, flexiblecontrol, and a big-picture view of theentire network so they can quicklycreate and deploy new services.

Manzalini says the integration ofthe two should make it easier for newoperators to enter the market. SDNsand NFV can be seen as expressionsof a systemic trend, called IT-izationor softwarization, Manzalini says[see p. 8]. This trend is enabled by

IT technoeconomic drivers, andit will produce cost reductions viautomation and optimization ofprocesses everywhere.

ADDRESSING NEEDS

At Telecom Italias Future Centre,Manzalini investigates the mostnovel applications of SDN and NFtechnologies and monitors theirprogress. Under his guidance, andpartnership with other internatioplayers, researchers are carrying otheoretical analyses, computer simlations, and experimental validatiof the new network models.

Technology innovation is justone part of Manzalinis job. He isalso in charge of understandingSDNs socioeconomic impactfo

example, addressing the technologies business sustainability andanalyzing their effect on regulatio

Manzalini grew up in Turin,devouring science fiction books amovies, fascinated by their depiction of technology. He says he knhe wanted to become an enginee

when he was 12 years old.He earned a masters degree in

electronic engineering from thePolitecnico of Turin. After graduahe considered jobs at the EuropeaSpace Agency, IBM, and a formerTelecom Italia research center. Thjob at Telecom Italia was closerto his career dreams at the time

which, he says, were to investigatadvanced telecommunications tenologies and the way they could hto progress and to solve the grandchallenges of humanity.

He joined Telecom Italia in 199researching technologies and archtectures for optical networks. Ovethe years, he led several internatioprojects funded by the EuropeanCommission and was involved in number of standardization activitThe move to the Future Centre in2007 was a logical next step, he sa

Manzalini is also busy pursuianother passion: He is investigatthe complexity of swarm intel-ligence in nature, in phenomenasuch as flocks of birds, ant colonand clusters of particlesa subjethat has interested him for a decSuch collective behavior hasnetworking principles in comm

with quantum particles, neuronthe brain, and humans in societhe notes. Nature is ahead of us

We should develop our new technologies by learning from natur

PEOPLE

Antonio Manzalini:

Innovating NetworksAdvancing the softwarization ofnetworks for a digital societyB Y P R A C H I P AT E L

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17/20

Andrew DawkinsMaking statements

F O R T W O Y E A R S , IEEE MemberAndrew Dawkins has been creatingpasteups, or paper cutouts of illustra-tions that can include images, words,and designs pasted on public walls.They are meant to be attention-grabbing if not controversial.

The art form is a natural forDawkins, 26. From an early agehe has expressed himself through

drawings. Instead of writing downhow I felt about things, it was mucheasier to draw them out in a visualdiary, he says. Eventually, I beganadding phrases to the images.

Dawkinss first few pasteups,which depicted cannibalism, mighthave made some people uneasy. Buthe has since shifted to images thatare, as he says, cool, carefree, andless pretentious.

One of his latest works, for exam-ple, revolves around Big Red and Lit-tle Blue, two humanlike charactershe created that have no facial fea-tures. Dawkins says he wants peopleto enjoy spotting the characters:

Its nice if Im strolling around and Isee people stop to take a closer lookor just go, Theres another one!

Dawkins, who earned a mecha-tronic engineering degree in 2009from Curtin University in Bentley,

Australia, went to work upon gradua-tion in nearby Fremantle as a designengineer at Maritime Engineers, aconsulting firm that provides navalarchitecture and design services.There he worked on a ships anchorthat can be released remotely in anemergency. He recently moved toMelbourne and applied to a masters

degree program in sustainable energytechnologies at RMIT University.He has long admired street art.

Growing up in a northern suburbof Perth, in Western Australia, headmired the huge murals paintedon underpasses near his home.Then, traveling alone in Europe in2011, he was captivated by the streetart in and around Berlin and wasinspired to look into pasteups.

You can put so much work andthought into creating them, butthe key is to place them in the rightsurroundings that will add to the artand make people stop and think, hesays. I really enjoy doing pasteups

that interact with their settings. Forone of his recent efforts, he placedhis Little Blue character hanging offthe edge of an exhaust vent panel on

a building while Big Red stood on topof it, as if looking for Blue.

Back from Berlin, he movedto an artsy region outside Perth,

where an abandoned power stationnear a beach had become the localstreet artists mecca. Its walls werecovered with murals and spray-painted piecessome, particularlyin the United States, might call itgraffitiby artists who were prac-ticing new techniques.

To make his pasteups, Dawkinsfirst designs his il

Documents

TheInstitute Dec 2014