Information Centric Networks: A New Paradigm for the Internet

5

Practical Issues

Various architectures, such as those described in Chapter 3, are evaluated in test beds in which experimental prototypes of their protocol stacks are used, as is the case with CCNx¹. To use these proposals on a large scale, it is necessary however to define practical implementation issues of ICNs. The two main issues are: the definition of an economic model for a new Internet based on ICNs and the deployment of content routers. In the following, these practical issues are discussed.

5.1. Economic models

For the adoption of ICNs on a large scale, it is essential to define a model that encourages current network operators and service providers to migrate to an ICN architecture and ensures remuneration for their activities, even with the adoption of new technologies [FEA 07].

The current business model adopted for the Internet is based on connectivity. In general, users pay their local ISPs for access to the network [TRO 10a]. The role of an ISP, in this case, is simply forwarding packets. As the network services are provided end-to-end and the Internet is organized into autonomous systems, ISPs also pay to send their traffic to other ISPs.

The basic packet delivery services are becoming commodities and, thus, ISPs are looking for new services to increase their revenues [FEA 07]. Currently, there are services that offer differentiated distribution of voice and video to users who pay more for such differentiation [TRO 10a]. Another example in this direction are the ...