Networks and Systems Research Theme (NetSys)

The Networks and Systems research theme in the Department of Computer Science exists to research all aspects of networking and communicating systems.

This includes the underlying mathematical theory to practical creation and operation of networked systems, with specific focus on issues related to Internet and control, data centre networks, edge/fog networks, network resilience, network performance modelling and measurement, performance evaluation with Quality of Service (QoS) constraints, scheduling and load balancing, vehicular networks and cyber security, algorithms and analysis.

The main research topics in our Networks and Systems research theme are as follows:

  • Network Management
  • Internet Protocols
  • Network Performance Measurement and Modelling
  • Network Programmability
  • In-Network Computing
  • Data Centre Networking
  • Vehicular Network
  • Accessibility and Usability
  • Network Resilience
  • Edge Computing
  • Distributed Computing
  • Scheduling and Load Balancing
  • Management of Storage Systems
  • Data Structures for Storage Systems
  • QoS Provisioning and Enhancement in Heterogeneous Networks
  • Network Security
  • Data Governance and Security

The theme has its own specialist lab facilities housed within the Haslegrave Building, which include:

  • a multi-computer routing and Internet algorithm test network
  • a wireless sensor network development platform
  • a line-rate network traffic generator
  • a software defined data centre network testbed
  • a programmable edge computing testbed consisting of over 300 Raspberry Pis and programmable network switches

In addition, students and members of staff are also currently sponsored by a nationally - leading cloud operator with unlimited access to virtual data centre resources. Our research work has been mainly funded by EPSRC, MoD, BAE Systems and other funding bodies. Our industrial collaborators include BAE Systems, Jennic, Arqiva, Sure, Toyota, Sensinode and Rolls Royce et al.

The NetSys theme hosts a number of externally funded research projects.

 

Academic Members

Dr Asma Adnane (Senior Lecturer)

Research interests:

Cyber security, trust management, ad hoc networks routing and security, vehicular networks, IoT security.

Dr Alia Asheralieva

Research interests:

Computer Networks; Telecommunications; Mobile Computing; AI for Networks and Communications; Operations Research; Intelligent Systems and Optimization; Distributed Systems; Information Security.

Dr Lin Guan (Senior Lecturer)

Research interests:

Performance modelling/evaluation of heterogeneous computer networks and systems, QoS analysis and enhancements, cloud computing & security, mobile computing, wireless and wireless sensor networks.

Professor Iain Phillips

Research interests:

Internet and Network architectures: routing and performance measurement. 聽Defence and Security. 聽Cyber Security and Resilience.

Dr Posco Tso (Reader)

Research interests:

Network management, network resilience, network security, network programmability, network computing and edge computing, and AI.

Professor Tim Watson (Professor)

Cyber Security and Resilience, AI

Lars Nagel (Lecturer)

Research interests:

Distributed computing, scheduling & load balancing; randomised algorithms; CS theory; storage systems.