Exploring the Memory-Bandwidth Tradeoff in an Information-Centric Network

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the tradeoff between memory and bandwidth in information-centric networks, suggesting that local data centers may be more cost-effective than traditional router-based architectures.

Contribution

It provides a cost-based evaluation of cache network structures under realistic content popularity and size assumptions, offering insights for future Internet architecture design.

Findings

Local data centers are more cost-effective than router caches.

Memory-bandwidth tradeoff depends on content popularity and network parameters.

Future networks may favor loosely connected data centers over traditional routers.

Abstract

An information-centric network should realize significant economies by exploiting a favourable memory-bandwidth tradeoff: it is cheaper to store copies of popular content close to users than to fetch them repeatedly over the Internet. We evaluate this tradeoff for some simple cache network structures under realistic assumptions concerning the size of the content catalogue and its popularity distribution. Derived cost formulas reveal the relative impact of various cost, traffic and capacity parameters, allowing an appraisal of possible future network architectures. Our results suggest it probably makes more sense to envisage the future Internet as a loosely interconnected set of local data centers than a network like today's with routers augmented by limited capacity content stores.