Blog of Random Thoughts and Pictures

Participating in FP7

February 28th, 2007

Had a visit from Stephen O’Reilly to ArcLabs recently.
Stephen is one of the Irish National Contact Points for the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) responsible for the theme of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).
Stephen gave a quite comprehensive presentation to a group of Waterford folks on the Work Programme (PowerPoint Format, Size:339KB), Rules of Participation (PowerPoint Format, Size:256KB) and Financial Supports (PowerPoint Format, Size:985KB).
The financial support mechanaism have changed for FP7 and a really handy site for understanding this further can be checked out at FP7 Financial Info and FAQs.
And for those experienced FP6 heads, then click straight through to the budget tables, one for 7 work packages and 6 Partners, the other relates to 10WP and 19 Partners

The future global satellite navigation system (GNSS) infrastructure

February 27th, 2007

While engaging in the GAISS project one of the key location tools we use is GPS. Doesn’t everyone?
But it’s not accurate enough for the search and rescue scenario in which we are applying it to. So it has been interesting to note that the Global satellite navigation system (GNSS) infrastructure will double with the advent of GALILEO, which will enhance the quality of the services of GPS and increase the number of potential users and applications.
With some slight investigation with the national contact point for Ireland on this topic it looks like there maybe a call for research proposals in June 2007 that may help open up the opportunity to investiagte this QoS enhancement towards the search and rescue scenarios we are looking at. I’ll keep the blog posted on this topic over the summer months.

FP7-ICT-2007-1 ICT Challenge 1.1: The network of the future

February 21st, 2007

The future internet is starting to create a buzz in the research community and this NSF/OECD Workshop “Social and Economic Factors Shaping the Future of the Internet”, 31 January 2007 contains some interestiong insights to the domain.
Also of note a white paper from EIFFEL (and the aptly named website http://future-internet.eu/ ) gives a clear European perspective on the future internet topic (app/pdf) .

A Profile for IPv6 in the U.S. Government available for a 30 day public comment period.

February 19th, 2007

The American Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have released a special publication NIST SP 500-267 A Profile for IPv6 in the U.S. Government – Version 1.0 (DRAFT), which aims to provide a profile to assist [US] federal agencies in developing plans to acquire and deploy products that implement Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6).
The objective of the profile is to:
(a) define a simple taxonomy of common network devices;
(b) define their minimal mandatory IPv6 capabilities and identify significant options so as to assist agencies in the development of more specific acquisition and deployment plans; and,
(c) provide the basis to further define the technical meaning of specific policies.
The findings reported in the profile include
1. A core set of IPv6 standards & capabilities.
2. the need for product testing services to ensure the confidence and to protect the investment of early IPv6 adopters.
3. The current state of IPv6 security technologies and operational knowledge.
4. The manner for accommodating the USG technical and process requirements in a distinct profile and testing program.
5. Identification of aome key IPv6 design issues which remain unresolved.
This NIST SP 500-267 is available at: http://www.antd.nist.gov/usgv6-v1-draft.pdf (app/pdf)

FP7-ICT-2007-1 ICT Challenge 1: Pervasive and Trusted Network and Service Infrastructures

February 16th, 2007

Now it cannot be said that the EU do not provide you with information, they do, in fact sometimes so much that it’s hard to find out anything.
Given that FP7 ICT Call 1 is around the cornerI’ve been reviewing the general work programme and the given challenges set forth for this call.
For today I’m going to give a little insight to ICT : Programme : Challenge 1 – Pervasive and Trusted Network and Service Infrastructures
For Call 1 there will be 5 topics to be addressed
1. The network of the future
2. Service and software architectures, infrastructures and engineering
3. ICT in support of the networked enterprise
4. Secure, dependable and trusted infrastructures
5. Networked media
Wow a little look into these topics and the areas are still very far reaching. But what are the targets?
Well how would

Anywhere, anytime, any device
seamless, ubiquitous
broadband, mobile
reconfigurable to load/use/context

grab you?
Or

Trillions of devices connected

“Built-in” security and trust

Highly dependable software and systems

Full support to distributed value chains and to the networked enterprise

Ahh now I’m just getting confused, looks like attendance at the ICT Challenge 1: Pervasive and Trusted Network and Service Infrastructures Information Day on the 26th of Feb. 2007 is needed.

Not all is rosie with SHIM6

February 16th, 2007

It is always good to weight up the pros and cons of new protocols and this presentation by Jason Schiller Network Operator Concerns of SHIM6 (application/pdf gives a great overview of the worries of Inter-AS traffic engineering with SHIM6 in its current form.

Demo ’07

February 8th, 2007

I’ve just being looking in on the DEMO.com Video & Archives for 2007 where there are some very interesting presentations from companies “Making Mobile Work” and “Taking it to the Streets” the best from my perspective Nuvoiz SoftPhone and Crickett