# CS 176C: Future Research Directions [Slides](https://hackmd.io/@arpitgupta/HJwO8dpjU) --- ## Learning Objectives - Digital Divide - Why are we still stuck in the past? - What do we need to change the status quo? - What is open-access infrastructure? - AI/ML to fight Digital Divide - What are self-driving networks? - Why do we need self-driving networks? - How can we build them (can we?)? --- # Digital Divide --- ## Elephant in the Room! - What is broadband (in USA)?  - Around **20 M+** don't have broadband access! Sadly, `digital divide` is real! --- ## Cable vs. Fiber - Cable: - DOCSIS 3.1: Upto 10/1 Gbps (shared) - DOCSIS 4.0: Upto 10/6 Gbps (shared) - Fiber: - Upto [44 Tbps](https://www.engadget.com/44-tbps-internet-connection-154034760.html) (shared) Fiber is better than Cable! --- ## Why Fiber makes sense? - Physics: - Shannon Limit - $C = B.log_{2}(1+SNR)$ - Bandwidth --> Frequency: - 200-350 THz vs. upto 1.2 GHz - Noise: - less attenuation and interferences --> High SNR Fiber is always better! --- ## Why don't we have Fiber everywhere? - Return on Investments: - Fiber ROI is huge but slow (10-20 years) - Example: Verizon FiOS required $18B (vs. < $ 10 B) investment for 14 % coverage - Monopolies (Cable Cabals) - Frontier - ~13 M customers only had two or less options ([EFF report](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/frontiers-bankruptcy-reveals-cynical-choice-deny-profitable-fiber-millions)) This is worrying but not surprising! --- ## What can we do? - Build Open Access Networks - Two-layer: - Local government `owns` and `operates` the network, ISPs distribute the services - Three-layer: - an independent party operates the network --- ## Open Access Arrangement  --- ## Success Stories  --- ## Open Access Support in California (1) - SB-1130 Telecommunications (Passed on `May 26, 2020`) - Fiber to all: - Provide access to `high-capacity`, `future-proof` (read fiber) infrastructure to 98 % CA households --- ## Open Access Support in California (2) - Unserved household areas (scope broadened): - Scope broadened: - If 90% households have less than 25/25 (vs. 6/1) Mbps speeds - Open access: - deploy infrastructure to support 100/100 Mbps speeds A step in the right direction! --- ## Challenges - Getting Service Providers - Incentive and expertise mismatch - big players have expertise but won't support - Reputation - Lack of expertise --> easy to mismanage - Price Competition and Consolidation - Hard to fight deep pocket services Government lacks expertise to operate networks! --- # AI/ML to Fight Digital Divide --- ## Self-Driving Networks - Key idea: - develop networks that can run themselves - use AI/ML + programmable switches - History: - gained popularity in recent years - Popularized by: - Efforts at Google, Facebook, etc. - Sonata-like systems and NSF/Princeton workshops --- ## Self-Driving Networks Original Vision  Closing the control loop! --- ## Technical Push - Fully, programmable, protocol-independent data planes, and mechanisms to program them (e.g., P4) - More fine-grained, programmable network measurements (e.g., Sonata) - Scale-out, distributed streaming capabilities (e.g., Spark, Storm) - Customizable actions in the forwarding plane (e.g., with P4) --- ## Self-Driving Networks for Open Access - Operating Open Access Networks - Government lacks expertise - Can we transfer this expertise? - Develop AI/ML-based systems that mimic *expert* network operators (How )Can we develop self-driving broadband networks? --- ## Self-driving Broadband Networks (Requirements) - `Sense`: Scalable and flexible network-measurement infrastructure - `Infer`: AI/ML-based solutions to infer diverse networks events in (near) real-time - `Actuate`: Automate configuration of different network devices --- ## Self-driving Broadband Networks (Approach) - Develop programmable interface for active/passive measurements at modems/routers - Use open-sourced AI/ML tools and edge cloud solutions to analyse network data - Develop programmable interfaces for dynamically reconfiguring network devices (safely) --- ## Summary - This class: - Digital divide - Open access networks - Self-driving (broadband) networks - Next class: - Measurements for self-driving networks