Welcome to the Arena for Research on Emerging Networks and Applications at University of South Carolina (ARENA @ USC).

The goal of our research is to enhance wired and wireless networks in terms of their: i) availability and reliability; ii) capacity and throughput; and iii) privacy and security.

Availability and Reliability. Towards providing five-nines availability, we have been developing IP Fast Reroute mechanisms for providing protection against transient failures in IP backbone networks. We are also designing Localized On-demand Link State Routing protocols for scalable and reliable routing in wireless mesh networks.

Capacity and Throughput. Towards improving the throughput of wireless networks, we are exploring Opportunistic Routing and Wireless Network Coding approaches for exploiting the broadcast nature of wireless transmissions. Furthermore, we are devising novel MAC schemes that harness the knowledge of physical layer phenomenon for enabling more concurrent transmissions and better Spatial Reuse in wireless networks.

Privacy and Security. Instead of relying on traditional network security services (i.e. protocols involving cryptographic mechanisms), we have sought to examine security issues at the “lower layers.” As an example, we have developed Link-Layer Anti-Jamming Solutions to improve the availability (an essential security objective) of networks composed of commodity wireless devices in the presence of intentional or accidental radio interference. Additionally, we are devising novel routing schemes to preserve Sink Location Privacy in sensor networks at low energy cost.

For more details, visit Research.