*** CALL FOR PAPERS ***

JOURNAL OF NETWORK AND SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT

Special Issue on High-Precision, Predictable and Low-Latency Networking

https://www.springer.com/journal/10922/updates/19942016 (call closes 31 May 2022)

New waves of networked applications continue to push the limits of what is
possible with networks today. For example, Industrial Internet applications,
Augmented Reality, Tactile Internet require ultra-low latency measured in
single-digit milliseconds and do not tolerate jitter at all. Economic pressures
mandate increasingly cloudification of real-time applications with precision
service level needs. Many of those applications are mission-critical and cannot
afford any loss in connectivity or even single packets. Collectively, these
applications require networking services that support high-precision and
predictable service levels with associated guarantees that border on
determinism. This requires a rethinking of many of the principles underlying
existing "Best Effort" internetworking technology.

Various approaches are emerging that try to tackle those challenges. Data
centers with fixed topologies and a constant number of hops rapidly replace
conventional routing and more general Internet topologies. Networks are
becoming more programmable to allow to custom-tailor and optimize treatment of
packets and flows. Related technologies range from Service Function Chaining to
Network Slicing to SDN. While 5G is making URLLC at the network edge a reality,
momentum for Beyond 5G (B5G) and 6G is building to push the boundaries of
precision services beyond the edge and across the core. One overarching
question concerns how these technologies can be harnessed and what additional
approaches are needed to be able to actually deliver on high-precision
networking with service levels that are predictable and that can be guaranteed.
This will involve advances across all networking planes, including but not
limited to approaches for the programming and processing of packets in the data
plane, evolved control interfaces and ultra-low latency control loops to
optimize service levels in the control-plane, methods for high-precision
measurements and telemetry with nanosecond accuracy at scale, as well as
advances in the related platforms and algorithms in the management plane.

This special issue focuses on challenges and solution approaches to deliver,
manage, control, monitor, and measure high-precision network services that
provide applications with predictable service levels that can be guaranteed.
This includes (Ultra) Low-Latency networks, deterministic networks, 6G, etc.
The special issue specifically encourages submission of papers that describe
disruptive concepts, innovative solutions, testbeds, experiments, in addition
to more evolutionary approaches.

Topics of Interest include but are not limited to the following:
• Platforms and solutions to manage and operate high-precision networks and
services, e.g., Industrial Networks, Tactile Networks, Augmented Reality (AR),
and cloud gaming
• Proof and validation of high-precision service level guarantees
• High-precision measurement techniques for ultra-low latency and jitter
• Service level assurance for micro services and service function chains
• Applications for and advances in Inband Network Telemetry and iOAM
• In-network service level tuning and optimization; predictable QoS
• Novel network programming models
• Applications of Artificial Intelligence for high-precision networking
• Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN), Deterministic Networking (DetNet), Network
Protocol Evolution for IT/OT convergence
• SDN applications for high-precision, high-performance networking
• High-precision cloud networking services using Fog and Edge Computing
• Deployment and operational experiences with Industrial Internet, Tactile
Internet, networked AR, cloud gaming
• 5G/B5G approaches
• Testbeds and platforms for High-Precision (OAI, MAGMA, OpenNetVM, etc.)
• Network optimization and hardware considerations for fast processing and
delivery (DPDK, etc.)

*** Submission Schedule ***

We use an “open” submission schedule, which means that you can submit your
paper at any time before we close the call (see below) and that we will start
the review process right after receiving the submission. Many of the dates
indicated below are therefore stated relative to the date the submission was
initially received.
• Call closes: May 31, 2022 (EXTENDED)
• Revision notification: 2 months after submission
• Revised paper due: 1.5 months after the revision notification
• Final notification: 1.5 months after the revised paper notification
• Expected publication of the special issue: third quarter of 2022 (early
accepted papers will be accessible online before the deadline)

*** Submission Format, Review Guidelines, Publishing Options ***

Submitted manuscripts must be written in English and must not exceed 30 pages
in Springer LNCS format. Your paper must describe original research not
published or currently under review by other journals or conferences. Parallel
submissions will not be accepted.

All submitted papers, if relevant to the theme and objectives of the special
issue, will go through an external peer-review process. Submissions should (i)
conform strictly to the Instructions for Authors available on the JNSM website
and (ii) be submitted through the Editorial Management system available at
https://www.editorialmanager.com/jons (before March 22nd) or the Springer
Nature Article Processing Platform available at
https://editorial.springernature.com/ (from March 22nd to May 31st)

See also https://www.springer.com/journal/10922/updates/19942016

Once the article is accepted for publication, authors will have the option to
choose how their article is published:
• Traditional publishing model – published articles are made available to
institutions and individuals who subscribe to Journal of Network and Systems
Management or who pay to read specific articles.
• Open Access – when an article is accepted for publication, the author/s or
funder/s pay an Article Processing Charge (APC). The final version of the
published article is then free to read for everyone.

Guest editors:
• Raouf Boutaba, University of Waterloo, Canada, email: rboutaba@uwaterloo.ca
• Alexander Clemm, Futurewei, USA; email: alex@futurewei.com
• Guillaume Doyen, IMT Atlantique, France; email:
guillaume.doyen@imt-atlantique.fr
• Bertrand Mathieu, Orange Labs, France; email: bertrand2.mathieu@orange.com
• Mohamed Faten Zhani, ETS Montreal, Canada; email: mohamed-faten.zhani@etsmtl.ca