Strategic Research Program
Addressing the High-Priority, Complex Challenges Facing the Information and Communications Technology (ITC) Industry
The Telcordia Strategic Research Program is a corporate-funded long-range research program that aims to solve the highly challenging and often complex problems that are of great importance to the ITC industry.
Areas of focus typically include:
- Networks and network operations (including IP-based, wireless, and optical networks)
- Services and applications (including service creation, delivery, operations, and assurance)
- Information technology (including security, software engineering, software development, and software reliability and testing)
Each year, Telcordia summarizes the accomplishments of the previous year's Strategic Research Program in a free publicly available report. Highlights from the report for the most recent Telcordia fiscal year (February 2008-January 2009) include results on the following topics:
Proactive Services Platform
Telcordia developed a prototype of context-aware complex event matching methods and algorithms that can enable a scalable, proactive services platform. These techniques have already led to potential commercialization opportunities with wireless carriers in South America, Israel, and Europe, a large Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) in the U.S., and a carrier-independent mobile application service provider.
Managing Multi-Layer Networks
A framework was created using Bayesian Networks for problem diagnosis in multi-layer communications networks. This also included development of a method for expanding Bayesian Networks, which makes the solution scalable to large and complex communications networks. This framework and method should be able to diagnose soft-fault events or events with unknown fault models in an automated fashion which would lead to faster time to repair.
Vehicle Telematics
Telcordia developed preliminary systems specifications, requirements, and a prototype platform for a telematics on-board unit (OBU) to support business development efforts with public transit agencies and major auto OEMs. The systems supports near-term public transit needs such as: safety and emergency assistance, asset tracking, end-to-end vehicle diagnostics & prognostics, and in-vehicle information advisory and connectivity services.
Automated Distributed Diagnostics for Networks
This work centered on design and implementation of a distributed algorithm for root-cause analysis for a fault-propagation model with deterministic couplings between faults and alarms, based on partitioning a 'relation graph' constructed from the fault-propagation model into domains. Because approximations are inevitable in achieving scalability in the solution of an NP-hard problem, the value of this algorithm is that, by providing a bound on the deviation of the solution from an optimal solution, it enables us to recognize solutions that are provably optimal.
Peer-to-Peer IMS
This effort was focused on demonstrations of a proof-of-concept for co-existence of Web 2.0 and IMS, interworking of P2PSIP and IMS, and of self-organizing IMS using P2P networking. This early proof-of-concept demonstration etsablishes the feasibility of the transition path and co-existence approach for peer-to-peer and IMS services.
Strategic Planning for Access Networks
Telcordia created a system dynamic model of the Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) deployment environment that was calibrated to the Verizon FiOS experience using publicly available data and employing outputs of the fiber deployment cost model. This was one of several models developed that can be used as assets/resources for future broadband consulting engagements.