Content Distribution for Mobile Internet: A Cloud-based Approach

Content distribution has become increasingly polarized, with investments in heavyweight data centers and end-user devices creating new demands. This book aims to uncover the root causes of mobile networking problems and design innovative cloud-based solutions to address them, with practical takeaways and testimonials from industrial systems.

Format: Hardback
Length: 252 pages
Publication date: 15 February 2023
Publisher: Springer Verlag, Singapore

The distribution of digital content across the internet, from one node to another or multiple nodes, is a fundamental aspect of its functionality. Since the launch of Amazon's EC2 in 2006 and Apple's iPhone in 2007, there has been a notable trend towards polarization in internet content distribution. On the one hand, significant investments have been made in constructing large, integrated data centers, often referred to as "heavy-cloud," to achieve economies of scale, high flexibility, and efficiency in content distribution. On the other hand, end-user devices, known as "light-end," have become increasingly lightweight, mobile, and heterogeneous, presenting new challenges related to traffic usage, energy consumption, bandwidth, latency, reliability, and content distribution security.

Based on comprehensive real-world measurements conducted at a large scale, it is evident that existing content distribution techniques often struggle to meet the demands of the modern mobile networking landscape. This motivates the research presented in this book, which aims to uncover the root causes of mobile networking problems and develop innovative cloud-based solutions to address them. Our work has resulted in academic papers published in prestigious conferences such as SIGCOMM, {URL}, and MobiSys, as well as practical impacts on industrial systems like Xiaomi Mobile, MIUI OS, Tencent App Store, Baidu PhoneGuard, and WiFi.com. We have also made available as much code and data used in our research as possible to benefit the broader community.

The book is organized into five chapters, each focusing on a specific aspect of mobile networking and cloud computing. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the current state of mobile networking and highlights the challenges faced by end-user devices. Chapter 2 explores the role of cloud computing in mobile networking and discusses the benefits and limitations of cloud-based solutions. Chapter 3 examines the design and implementation of cloud-based mobile networking systems, including data centers, content delivery networks, and cloud-based security solutions. Chapter 4 discusses the challenges of managing and optimizing mobile network resources, including bandwidth, energy consumption, and latency. Chapter 5 presents case studies and practical examples of cloud-based mobile networking solutions implemented in real-world scenarios.

Throughout the book, we provide practical takeaways and easy-to-follow testimonials from researchers and practitioners working in mobile networking and cloud computing. We aim to provide insights and guidance that can help researchers and practitioners develop better mobile networking and cloud computing solutions for the future.

In conclusion, the distribution of digital content across the internet has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, driven by the trend towards "heavy-cloud vs. light-end." This book aims to uncover the root causes of mobile networking problems and develop innovative cloud-based solutions to address them. By providing practical takeaways, easy-to-follow testimonials, and open-source code and data, we hope to contribute to the advancement of mobile networking and cloud computing research and practice.

Weight: 571g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789811969812
Edition number: 2nd ed. 2023