Context-Aware Resource Management for Mobile Servers

Mobile operators wishing to deploy higher-level value-added services face various costs attributable to the introduction of new software and hardware components into their networks. Considering that today’s wireless devices are becoming increasingly capable of running complex applications with server-like features, we could envision the case where mobile operators “outsource” value-added services provision to subscribers equipped with such devices, which will thus be acting as mobile servers. Services may either be attributed to these mobile servers by the mobile operator or be created in an ad-hoc manner by the subscribers and could range from file sharing applications to location based, context-aware service offerings, such as real-time road traffic information. Network operators benefit from this scheme not only because they enrich their offerings at minimal cost, but also because traffic towards the outside of their networks (to obtain similar services) is limited. Clients benefit because these “internal” services are accessed from within the core network of the provider at high-speed since external and potentially congested routes are avoided.