Resource allocation strategies for edge computing and quantum key distribution in advanced networks
C膬t膬lina-Ioana Stan defended her PhD thesis at the Department of Electrical Engineering on June 23th.
The demand for faster communication and stronger security continues to grow, especially with new applications such as holographic communication, face recognition, and extended reality. 5G and upcoming 6G mobile networks need to adopt advanced tools to meet these requirements. Many emerging technologies are expected to shape the next-generation networks. In her PhD research, C膬t膬lina-Ioana Stan proposes several resource allocation strategies to meet the user and network demands. She focuses on two promising technologies in her research: edge computing and network security using quantum key distribution (QKD).
Firstly, investigated the use of edge computing during her research. This technology brings computational, storage, and networking resources closer to the end user. With edge computing, users can offload heavy computation from their own devices to nearby edge infrastructure such as servers rather than maintaining the execution locally or sending it to distant cloud servers. This provides faster response time from the network, which supports the (near) real-time experience much needed by the novel applications. It also extends the battery lifespan of users鈥� devices, and reduces the load on the backhaul network. However, deciding whether to offload remains a major challenge due to the limited resources available for a large number of users with different requirements and the dynamic network conditions. In her research, Stan offers allocation strategies for communication and computational resources to assist offloading in 5G networks enhanced with edge computing.
Enhancing network security
Next to that, Stan looked into ways to enhance network security in her research. Keeping data secure has long been a critical aspect of communication. Yet, the security strength of some of the currently used cryptographic schemes is at risk. This is due to the advances of quantum computers, which bring enhanced computational power with the potential to compromise the security of these schemes. To prepare for this, there are two candidates for migrating towards quantum-safe cryptography: post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and QKD. While each brings its own benefits and challenges, Stan鈥檚 research focused on how to allocate resources in QKD networks.
Quantum key distribution (QKD)
QKD is a method for establishing a shared secret key between two remote parties, where the security of this key relies on the principles of quantum mechanics. After a successful exchange, the key is used to secure the communication. Different from the previously mentioned resources, this research addresses the challenge of efficiently managing the secret keys in QKD networks to serve as many users as possible, based on requirements such as timely key delivery.
Title of PhD thesis: . Supervisors: Prof. Idelfonso Tafur Monroy, Dr. Simon Rommel and Dr. Juan Jos茅 Vegas Olmos