A Survey of Naming Systems: Classification and Analysis of the Current Schemes Using a New Naming Reference Model

The Internet has evolved immensely since its inception to being a network of academic and government institutions to its present magnanimous commercial avatar. It is currently deemed to be the single largest resource for information and services. From the times it was managed by central authorities, first by DARPA and then by NSF, the present internet has matured to become a commercially driven, distributed structure with minimal centralized control. The availability of large-scale distributed heterogeneous networks and multiple services makes it important to identify all the computing and non-computing entities and the different services that are a part of it. So when it comes to considering the design for the next generation internet, the naming problem becomes an important issue. In this paper, we try to present a comprehensive, systematic and objective discussion on the naming problem. We present a three-dimensional model of naming to outline some of the major research contributions in this area. The model includes three planes: management plane, transport plane and control plane. We classify all the current naming schemes into these three planes according to the difference in focus of the schemes. A detailed analysis and comparison of these schemes is given according to the three-plane classification model. We try to provide a wholesome discussion on every aspect and dimension of the naming problem and try to make our discussion objective through evaluations, comparisons and evolutionary walkthroughs, wherever relevant. The objective of this study is to gain better understanding of past naming systems to allow designing future naming and addressing schemes for the Next Generation Internet.