Netlab has been involved in several national and European ICT projects with focus on the instrumentation, measurement, management, and control of virtualised infrastructures, resilient and secure communications and situationally-aware contextual information infrastructures. Several systems have been designed and implemented, ranging from SDN and programmable dataplane-based security and resilience based on renforcement learning, to lightweight NFV frameworks for resource-constrained environments, to Service Function Chaining and orchestration.

Netlab (Networked Systems Research Laboratory)

The Networked Systems Research Laboratory brings together researchers who explore next generation, adaptive, and resilient computer networks through measurement and optimisation.

Staff

Publications

2023

Feng, K., Cook, M. M., Marnerides, A. K. (2023) Sizzler: Sequential fuzzing in Ladder diagrams for vulnerability detection and discovery in Programmable Logic Controllers. IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security, (doi: 10.1109/TIFS.2023.3340615)

Shah, A. A., Ansari, S., Jamshed, M. A., Sambo, Y., Ur Rehman, M. (2023) The role of 6G and beyond for urban air mobility and utilising space systems for road to net-zero carbon. Institution of Engineering and Technology

Almazarqi, H. A., Woodyard, M., Mursch, T., Pezaros, D., Marnerides, A. K. (2023) Tracking IoT P2P Botnet Loaders in the Wild. (doi: 10.1109/ICC45041.2023.10279593)

Yang, J., Shah, A. A., Pezaros, D. (2023) A survey of energy optimization approaches for computational task offloading and resource allocation in MEC networks. Electronics, 12, (doi: 10.3390/electronics12173548)

Simpson, K. A., Williamson, C., Paul, D. J., Pezaros, D. P. (2023) GALETTE: a Lightweight XDP Dataplane on your Raspberry Pi. (doi: 10.23919/IFIPNetworking57963.2023.10186412)

Hutchison, D., Pezaros, D., Rak, J., Smith, P. (2023) On the importance of resilience engineering for networked systems in a changing world. IEEE Communications Magazine, (doi: 10.1109/MCOM.001.2300057)

Cook, M. M., Marnerides, A. K., Pezaros, D. P. (2023) PLCPrint: fingerprinting memory attacks in programmable logic controllers. IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security, (doi: 10.1109/TIFS.2023.3277688)

Cook, M. M., Marnerides, A. K., Johnson, C., Pezaros, D. (2023) A survey on industrial control system digital forensics: challenges, advances and future directions. IEEE Communications Surveys and Tutorials, (doi: 10.1109/COMST.2023.3264680)

Alharbi, N., Mackenzie, L., Pezaros, D. (2023) Evaluation of Graph Routing Single Objective Paths Using Pre-set Unequal Clustering. (doi: 10.1109/ITNAC55475.2022.9998382)

2022

Sagkriotis, S., Pezaros, D. (2022) Scalable Data Plane Caching for Kubernetes. (doi: 10.23919/CNSM55787.2022.9964497)

Almazarqi, H. A., Woodyard, M., Mursch, T., Pezaros, D., Marnerides, A. K. (2022) Macroscopic Analysis of IoT Botnets. (doi: 10.1109/GLOBECOM48099.2022.10001223)

Sagkriotis, S., Pezaros, D. (2022) Scale-friendly In-network Coordination. (doi: 10.1109/GLOBECOM48099.2022.10001373)

Leyva-Pupo, I., Cervelló-Pastor, C., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. P. (2022) Dynamic UPF placement and chaining reconfiguration in 5G networks. Computer Networks, 215, (doi: 10.1016/j.comnet.2022.109200)

Alharbi, N., Mackenzie, L., Pezaros, D. (2022) Enhancing graph routing algorithm of industrial wireless sensor networks using the covariance-matrix adaptation evolution strategy. Sensors, 22, (doi: 10.3390/s22197462)

Cook, M., Paterson, C., Marnerides, A. K., Pezaros, D. (2022) Anomaly Diagnosis in Cyber-Physical Systems. (doi: 10.1109/ICC45855.2022.9838968)

Adoga, H. U., Elkhatib, Y., Pezaros, D. P. (2022) On the Performance Benefits of Heterogeneous Virtual Network Function Execution Frameworks. (doi: 10.1109/NetSoft54395.2022.9844115)

Simpson, K. A., Pezaros, D. P. (2022) Revisiting the Classics: Online RL in the Programmable Dataplane. (doi: 10.1109/NOMS54207.2022.9789930)

Abbas, A., Khan, M. A., Latif, S., Ajaz, M., Shah, A. A., Ahmad, J. (2022) A new ensemble-based intrusion detection system for Internet of Things. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, 47, pp. 1805-1819. (doi: 10.1007/s13369-021-06086-5)

Adoga, H. U., Pezaros, D. P. (2022) Network function virtualization and service function chaining frameworks: a comprehensive review of requirements, objectives, implementations, and open research challenges. Future Internet, 14, (doi: 10.3390/fi14020059)

AlHarbi, N., Mackenzie, L., Pezaros, D. (2022) Effect of Unequal Clustering Algorithms in WirelessHART networks. (doi: 10.1109/MENACOMM50742.2021.9678302)

Sagkriotis, S., Pezaros, D. (2022) Accelerating Kubernetes with In-network Caching. (doi: 10.1145/3546037.3546058)

2021

Simpson, K. A., Pezaros, D. (2021) Online RL in the Programmable Dataplane with OPaL. (doi: 10.1145/3485983.3493345)

Almazarqi, H. A., Marnerides, A., Mursch, T., Woodyard, M., Pezaros, D. (2021) Profiling IoT Botnet Activity in the Wild. (doi: 10.1109/GLOBECOM46510.2021.9686012)

Khan, M. A., Khan, M. A., Jan, S. U., Ahmad, J., Jamal, S. S., Shah, A. A., Pitropakis, N., Buchanan, W. J. (2021) A deep learning-based intrusion detection system for MQTT enabled IoT. Sensors, 21, (doi: 10.3390/s21217016)

Llorens-Carrodeguas, A., Sagkriotis, S. G., Cervelló-Pastor, C., Pezaros, D. P. (2021) An energy-friendly scheduler for edge computing systems. Sensors, 21, (doi: 10.3390/s21217151)

Savva, F., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. (2021) TSMF: Network Latency Estimation Using Matrix Factorization and Time Series Forecasting. (doi: 10.23919/IFIPNetworking52078.2021.9472796)

Iordache-Sica, M. M., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. P. (2021) Towards QoS-aware Provisioning of Chained Virtual Security Services in Edge Networks.

Shah, A. A., Piro, G., Grieco, L. A., Boggia, G. (2021) A quantitative cross-comparison of container networking technologies for virtualized service infrastructures in local computing environments. Transactions on Emerging Telecommunications Technologies, 32, (doi: 10.1002/ett.4234)

Alghamdi, I., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. P. (2021) Data quality-aware task offloading in mobile edge computing: an optimal stopping theory approach. Future Generation Computer Systems, 117, pp. 462-479. (doi: 10.1016/j.future.2020.12.017)

Simpson, K. A., Cziva, R., Pezaros, D. P. (2021) Seiðr: Dataplane Assisted Flow Classification Using ML. (doi: 10.1109/GLOBECOM42002.2020.9348063)

Alghamdi, I. A. I., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. (2021) Optimized Contextual Data Offloading in Mobile Edge Computing.

2020

Zhou, Q., Pezaros, D. (2020) A prediction-based model for consistent adaptive routing in back-bone networks at extreme situations. Electronics, 9, (doi: 10.3390/electronics9122146)

Leyva-Pupo, I., Cervelló-Pastor, C., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. P. (2020) Dynamic Scheduling and Optimal Reconfiguration of UPF Placement in 5G Networks. (doi: 10.1145/3416010.3423221)

Petrosino, A., Sciddurlo, G., Grieco, G., Shah, A.A., Piro, G., Grieco, L.A., Boggia, G. (2020) Dynamic management of forwarding rules in a T-SDN architecture with energy and bandwidth constraints. Springer

Ali, A., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. P. (2020) In-Network Placement of Security VNFs in Multi-Tenant Data Centers. (doi: 10.1109/ISCC50000.2020.9219711)

Shah, A.A., Mussini, M., Nicassio, F., Parladori, G., Triggiani, F., Grieco, G., Iaffaldano, G., Piro, G. (2020) A Real-time Simulation Framework for Complex and Large-scale Optical Transport Networks based on the SDN Paradigm. (doi: 10.1109/DS-RT50469.2020.9213701)

Shah, A. A., Piro, G., Grieco, L.A., Boggia, G. (2020) A Review of Forwarding Strategies in Transport Software-defined Networks. (doi: 10.1109/ICTON51198.2020.9203103)

Cook, M., Stavrou, I., Dimmock, S., Johnson, C. (2020) Introducing a Forensics Data Type Taxonomy of Acquirable Artefacts From Programmable Logic Controllers. (doi: 10.1109/CyberSecurity49315.2020.9138879)

Simpson, K. A., Rogers, S., Pezaros, D. P. (2020) Per-host DDoS mitigation by direct-control reinforcement learning. IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management, 17, pp. 103-117. (doi: 10.1109/TNSM.2019.2960202)

Alghamdi, I., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. P. (2020) On the Optimality of Task Offloading in Mobile Edge Computing Environments. (doi: 10.1109/GLOBECOM38437.2019.9014081)

Santoyo-Gonzalez, A., Cervello-Pastor, C., Pezaros, D. P. (2020) High-performance, Platform-Independent DDoS Detection for IoT Ecosystems. (doi: 10.1109/LCN44214.2019.8990862)

Csikor, L., Szalay, M., Rétvári, G., Pongrácz, G., Pezaros, D. P., Toka, L. (2020) Transition to SDN is HARMLESS: Hybrid ARchitecture for Migrating Legacy Ethernet Switches to SDN. IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking, 28, pp. 275-288. (doi: 10.1109/TNET.2019.2958762)

Sagkriotis, S., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. P. (2020) Energy Usage Profiling for Virtualized Single Board Computer Clusters. (doi: 10.1109/ISCC47284.2019.8969611)

Sagkriotis, S., Kolomvatsos, K., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. P., Hadjiefthymiades, S. (2020) Knowledge-centric Analytics Queries Allocation in Edge Computing Environments. (doi: 10.1109/ISCC47284.2019.8969706)

Basford, P. J., Johnston, S. J., Perkins, C. S., Garnock-Jones, T., Tso, F. P., Pezaros, D., Mullins, R. D., Yoneki, E., Singer, J., Cox, S. J. (2020) Performance analysis of single board computer clusters. Future Generation Computer Systems, 102, pp. 278-291. (doi: 10.1016/j.future.2019.07.040)

2019

Alghamdi, I., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. P. (2019) Delay-tolerant sequential decision making for task offloading in mobile edge computing environments. Information, 10, (doi: 10.3390/info10100312)

Zhou, Q., Pezaros, D. P. (2019) BIDS: Bio-Inspired, Collaborative Intrusion Detection for Software Defined Networks. (doi: 10.1109/ICC.2019.8761410)

Nikolaou, S., Pezaros, D., Anagnostopoulos, C. (2019) In-network Predictive Analytics in Edge Computing. (doi: 10.1109/WD.2019.8734267)

Zhou, Q., Gray, A. J.G., Pezaros, D., McLaughlin, S. (2019) SARA – A Semantic Access Point Resource Allocation Service for Heterogenous Wireless Networks. (doi: 10.1109/WD.2019.8734260)

Alghamdi, I., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. P. (2019) Time-Optimized Task Offloading Decision Making in Mobile Edge Computing. (doi: 10.1109/WD.2019.8734210)

Shah, A.A., Piro, G., Grieco, L.A., Boggia, G. (2019) A Qualitative Cross-comparison of Emerging Technologies for Software-defined Systems. (doi: 10.1109/SDS.2019.8768566)

Nikolaou, S., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. (2019) Communication-aware edge-centric knowledge dissemination in edge computing environments. Elsevier

Csikor, L., Divakaran, D. M., Kang, M. S., Kőrösi, A., Sonkoly, B., Haja, D., Pezaros, D. P., Schmid, S., Rétvári, G. (2019) Tuple Space Explosion: A Denial-of-Service Attack Against a Software Packet Classifier. (doi: 10.1145/3359989.3365431)

2018

Johnston, S. J., Basford, P. J., Perkins, C. S., Herry, H., Tso, F. P., Pezaros, D., Mullins, R. D., Yoneki, E., Cox, S. J., Singer, J. (2018) Commodity single board computer clusters and their applications. Future Generation Computer Systems, 89, pp. 201-212. (doi: 10.1016/j.future.2018.06.048)

Alayed, W., Mackenzie, L., Pezaros, D. (2018) Analytical Hierarchy Process Multi-Metric Objective Function for RPL. (doi: 10.1109/NCA.2018.8548054)

Cziva, R., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. P. (2018) Dynamic, Latency-Optimal vNF Placement at the Network Edge. (doi: 10.1109/INFOCOM.2018.8486021)

Simpson, S., Shirazi, S. N., Marnerides, A., Jouet, S., Pezaros, D. (2018) An inter-domain collaboration scheme to remedy DDoS attacks in computer networks. IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management, 15, pp. 879-893. (doi: 10.1109/TNSM.2018.2828938)

Csikor, L., Rothenberg, C., Pezaros, D., Schmid, S., Toka, L., Retvari, G. (2018) Policy Injection: a Cloud Dataplane DoS Attack. (doi: 10.1145/3234200.3234250)

Ali, A., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. P. (2018) On the Optimality of Virtualized Security Function Placement in Multi-Tenant Data Centers. (doi: 10.1109/ICC.2018.8422426)

Singer, J., Herry, H., Basford, P. J., Hajji, W., Perkins, C. S., Tso, F. P., Pezaros, D., Mullins, R. D., Yoneki, E., Cox, S. J., Johnston, S. J. (2018) Next Generation Single Board Clusters. (doi: 10.1109/NOMS.2018.8406120)

Harth, N., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. (2018) Predictive intelligence to the edge: impact on edge analytics. Evolving Systems, 9, pp. 95-118. (doi: 10.1007/s12530-017-9190-z)

Csikor, L., Toka, L., Szalay, M., Pongrácz, G., Pezaros, D. P., Rétvári, G. (2018) HARMLESS: Cost-Effective Transitioning to SDN for Small Enterprises.

Marnerides, A.K., Pezaros, D.P., Hutchison, D. (2018) Internet traffic characterisation: third-order statistics & higher-order spectra for precise traffic modelling. Computer Networks, 134, pp. 183-201. (doi: 10.1016/j.comnet.2018.01.050)

Harth, N., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. (2018) Correction to: Predictive intelligence to the edge: impact on edge analytics. Evolving Systems, 9, pp. 91-91. (doi: 10.1007/s12530-017-9210-z)

Alayed, W., Mackenzie, L., Pezaros, D. (2018) Evaluation of RPL’s Single Metric Objective Functions. (doi: 10.1109/iThings-GreenCom-CPSCom-SmartData.2017.98)

Csikor, L., Pezaros, D. P. (2018) End-host Driven Troubleshooting Architecture for Software-Defined Networking. (doi: 10.1109/GLOCOM.2017.8254759)

Ali, A., Anagnostopoulos, C., Pezaros, D. P. (2018) Resource-Aware Placement of Softwarised Security Services in Cloud Data Centers. (doi: 10.23919/CNSM.2017.8255975)

Pezaros, D., Cziva, R., Jouet, S. (2018) SDN for cloud data centres. IET

2017

Hajji, W., Tso, F. P., Cui, L., Pezaros, D. (2017) Experimental Evaluation of SDN-Controlled, Joint Consolidation of Policies and Virtual Machines. (doi: 10.1109/ISCC.2017.8024710)

Kolomvatsos, K., Anagnostopoulos, C., Marnerides, A. K., Ni, Q., Hadjiefthymiades, S., Pezaros, D. (2017) Uncertainty-driven Ensemble Forecasting of QoS in Software Defined Networks. (doi: 10.1109/ISCC.2017.8024701)

Johnson, C. W., Saleem, M. H., Evangelopoulou, M., Cook, M., Harkness, R., Barker, T. (2017) Defending Against Firmware Cyber Attacks on Safety-Critical Systems.

Iordache, M., Jouet, S., Marnerides, A. K., Pezaros, D. P. (2017) Distributed, Multi-Level Network Anomaly Detection for Datacentre Networks. (doi: 10.1109/ICC.2017.7996569)

White, K. J.S., Denney, E., Knudson, M. D., Marnerides, A. K., Pezaros, D. P. (2017) A Programmable SDN+NFV-based Architecture for UAV Telemetry Monitoring. (doi: 10.1109/CCNC.2017.7983162)

Pamukchiev, A., Jouet, S., Pezaros, D. P. (2017) Distributed Network Anomaly Detection on an Event Processing Framework. (doi: 10.1109/CCNC.2017.7983209)

Cziva, R., Pezaros, D. P. (2017) On the Latency Benefits of Edge NFV. (doi: 10.1109/ANCS.2017.23)

Cui, L., Tso, F. P., Pezaros, D., Jia, W., Zhao, W. (2017) PLAN: Joint policy- and network-aware VM management for cloud data centers. IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems, 28, pp. 1163-1175. (doi: 10.1109/TPDS.2016.2604811)

Marnerides, A. K., Pezaros, D. P., Jose, J., Mauthe, A. U., Hutchison, D. (2017) A situation aware information infrastructure (SAI2) framework. (doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-61949-1_20)

Jouet, S., Pezaros, D. P. (2017) BPFabric: Data Plane Programmability for Software Defined Networks. (doi: 10.1109/ANCS.2017.14)

Cziva, R., Pezaros, D. P. (2017) Container network functions: bringing NFV to the network edge. IEEE Communications Magazine, 55, pp. 24-31. (doi: 10.1109/MCOM.2017.1601039)

Szalay, M., Toka, L., Rétvári, G., Pongrácz, G., Csikor, L., Pezaros, D. (2017) HARMLESS: Cost-Effective Transitioning to SDN. (doi: 10.1145/3123878.3131997)

Cziva, R., Lorier, C., Pezaros, D. P. (2017) Ruru: High-speed, Flow-level Latency Measurement and Visualization of Live Internet Traffic. (doi: 10.1145/3123878.3131981)

Ali, A. F. T., Cziva, R., Jouet, S., Pezaros, D. (2017) SDNFV-based DDoS detection and remediation in multi-tenant, virtualized infrastructures. Springer

2016

Mas Machuca, C., Secci, S., Vizarreta, P., Kuipers, F., Gouglidis, A., Hutchison, D., Jouet, S., Pezaros, D., Elmokashfi, A., Heegaard, P., Ristov, S., Gusev, M. (2016) Technology-Related Disasters: A Survey Towards Disaster-Resilient Software Defined Networks. (doi: 10.1109/RNDM.2016.7608265)

Gomes, T., Tapolcai, J., Esposito, C., Hutchison, D., Kuipers, F., Rak, J., de Sousa, A., Iossifides, A., Travanca, R., André, J., Jorge, L., Martins, L., Ugalde, P. O., Pašić, A., Pezaros, D., Jouet, S., Secci, S., Tornatore, M. (2016) A Survey of Strategies for Communication Networks to Protect Against Large-Scale Natural Disasters. (doi: 10.1109/RNDM.2016.7608263)

Tso, F. P., Jouet, S., Pezaros, D. P. (2016) Network and server resource management strategies for data centre infrastructures: A survey. Computer Networks, 106, pp. 209-225. (doi: 10.1016/j.comnet.2016.07.002)

Cziva, R., Jouet, S., Pezaros, D. P. (2016) Roaming Edge vNFs using Glasgow Network Functions. (doi: 10.1145/2934872.2959067)

Jouet, S., Cziva, R., Pezaros, D. P. (2016) Arbitrary Packet Matching in OpenFlow. (doi: 10.1109/HPSR.2015.7483106)

Cziva, R., Jouët, S., Stapleton, D., Tso, F. P., Pezaros, D. P. (2016) SDN-based virtual machine management for cloud data centers. IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management, 13, pp. 212-225. (doi: 10.1109/TNSM.2016.2528220)

Jouet, S., Perkins, C., Pezaros, D. (2016) OTCP: SDN-Managed congestion control for data centre networks. (doi: 10.1109/NOMS.2016.7502810)

Cui, L., Cziva, R., Tso, F. P., Pezaros, D. (2016) Synergistic Policy and Virtual Machine Consolidation in Cloud Data Centers. (doi: 10.1109/INFOCOM.2016.7524354)

2015

Cui, L., Tso, F. P., Pezaros, D. P., Jia, W. (2015) PLAN: a Policy-Aware VM Management Scheme for Cloud Data Centres. (doi: 10.1109/UCC.2015.30)

Cziva, R., Jouet, S., Pezaros, D. (2015) GNFC: Towards Network Function Cloudification. (doi: 10.1109/NFV-SDN.2015.7387419)

Cui, L., Tso, F. P., Pezaros, D., Jia, W., Zhao, W. (2015) A Policy-Aware Virtual Machine Management in Data Center Networks. (doi: 10.1109/ICDCS.2015.81)

Cziva, R., Jouet, S., White, K. J.S., Pezaros, D. P. (2015) Container-based network function virtualization for software-defined networks. (doi: 10.1109/ISCC.2015.7405550)

Al-Kubati, G., Mackenzie, L., Pezaros, D. P., Al-Dubai, A. (2015) Stable Infrastructure-based Routing for Intelligent Transportation Systems. (doi: 10.1109/ICC.2015.7248849)

Postgraduate research students

Refine By

Experimental Testbed

Our experimental research laboratory comprises a fully virtualised networked infrastructure, programmable at all hardware (e.g., Radio, NetFPGA boards, Netronome SmartNICs, Barefoot P4 Switches) and software (OpenFlow Controllers, process and compute servers, SBC models, etc.) layers of the network stack.

Netlab is of sufficient scale and programmability to emulate realistic virtualised and software-defined network infrastructures such as tree-structured cloud data centres and Edge environments, to then evaluate the impact of next generation resource provisioning, intelligent and adaptive control, and security and resilience mechanisms for data communications. The laboratory provides a controlled experimental environment over which Software-Defined Networking (SDN), Network Function Virtualisation (NFV), and virtualised service orchestration components can be developed and evaluated under controlled operational conditions.

 

PhD Opportunities

Interested in doing a PhD in next generation networked systems? Explore some of the research topics we have proposed here.

 

Details of how to apply can be found on the Postgraduate research opportunities page.