Index-Based Event Messaging

This paper presents a new scheme in the publish/subscribe paradigm. Index-based publish/subscribe is designed to overcome the problems of administration and unwanted message delivery in topic-based systems, whilst not requiring the subscription state network load normally required by a content-based approach. The index-based approach is particularly effective while waiting for unpredictable events since the ’subscription’ is not stored in the network, but at the edge with the receiver. Summary index information is provided to the receivers allowing them to coordinate their joining of the message delivery channels to receive the item of interest. Under the assumption that applications generate short-lived data flows, an index-based approach can both reduce the amount of unwanted information delivered to receivers, and optimise the allocation of resources in the network.