Research Advances in Network Technologies

Book excerpt: In the present technological age, information is a valuable resource for both small and large enterprises as well as for our daily lives. The key enablers that link computer resources and devices together to gather, process, and distribute crucial data both locally and worldwide are network technologies. For our daily lives and commercial operations, network technologies offer effective, adaptable, and seamless communication while maximizing productivity and resources. Due to its significance, this field has undergone a significant evolution in the past few decades, moving away from traditional wired networks and toward Bluetooth, infrared, microwave, radio, and satellite networks. These days, network technologies are not employed only in computer labs, businesses, or homes; a wide range of domains, such as vehicular ad hoc networks, mobile ad hoc networks, and the Internet of Things, have been seen using network technologies. Researchers from academia and industry have worked hard to build and develop software-based network technologies, such as middleware, protocol stacks, and network software architectures, in addition to hardware-based and physical network technologies. The paradigm shift in this field is being driven primarily by software-based network technologies, which have also given rise to numerous new network innovations, including grid computing, cloud computing, fog computing, edge computing, software-defined networks, and content-centric networks. Significant efforts have been made in cellular network technologies to boost the user experience, and as a result, new cellular network technologies, including LTE, VoLTE, and 5G, have also been developed. Efforts continue to be made by researchers in these networking fields due to the demand for and importance of these technologies in present and future situations. Many of these efforts are still in progress, and there are still possibilities that need to be investigated. As a result, it’s important to stay up to date on network technology developments and look into further research difficulties that need to be resolved for the benefit of users. This book will present the most recent and leading research in the field of network technologies in order to achieve solutions for various problems that exist in this domain.