[alife] SI on Agent-based M&S of Complex Communication Networks (SCI-E), Extended Deadline: May, 2012

[Muaz Niazi]

Dear Colleagues,

Apologies if you receive multiple copies. 

Due to several requests, we have extended the deadline for the Special
Issue. 

http://cecosm.yolasite.com/sisimulation.php 

======================== CALL FOR PAPERS =========================

            SAGE - Simulation-Transactions of the SCS 
                              (SCI-E, JCR)
          Special Issue on Agent-based Modeling & Simulation of 
      Complex Adaptive Communication Networks & Environments 
                              (CACOONS)

==================================================================

      Network simulation is typically an important step in the development
of most modern communication networks. It can involve the use of generalized
tools such as Matlab and C++ in addition to a variety of basic network
simulation tools such as NS2, NS3, OPNET, OMNET++ etc. demonstrating the
vibrant simulation culture prevalent in communication networks. While these
simulation tools have proven their worth for focused application case
studies, it can become increasingly difficult to use existing tools for
modeling complex communication, variability or mobility in the network as
well as for modeling complex environments surrounding the network nodes
(Which can e.g. be important in the case of Wireless networks in general and
Sensor Networks in particular, with their primary goal being the sensing of
different environment parameters).
      Unlike specialized simulation paradigms/tools, Agent-based Modeling
(ABM) is a flexible general-purpose modeling and simulation paradigm
well-established in various scientific disciplines for the modeling of
complex phenomena emanating from Complex Adaptive Systems (cas), systems
where a large number of communicating components interact in a nonlinear
manner, thereby resulting in advanced adaptive behavior observable at the
global scale. ABM has previously found uses extensively in social,
biological, ecological, archeological and other scientific domains. 
      Due to recent rapid advancements in Communication technology, today’s
Communication networks such as those formed by wireless sensor, ad-hoc,
Peer-Peer (P2P),  multiagent, nano-Communication and mobile robot
communication networks, are  expected to grow larger and more complex than
ever previously anticipated. Thus, these networks can give rise to complex
global emergent phenomena whose effects cannot be easily traced back to the
individual components. Such patterns can be important to understand since,
at times, they can have considerable effect on various aspects of a network
such as unanticipated traffic congestion, unprecedented increase in
communication cost or perhaps a complete network/grid shutdown. Some
well-known examples include the emergence of cascading faults in Message
Queue-based Financial transactions after New Year holidays, recent cascading
failures reported in the Amazon.com cloud, effects of viral and worm
infections in large networks, effects of torrent and other complex traffic
on ISP network planning and corporate networks, multi-player gaming and
other similar P2P traffic in company intranets, self-organization and
self-assembly related effects in sensor and robotic communication networks
etc.
      Recent work has demonstrated that ABM can also offer a much shorter
learning curve and ability to flexibly model Complex phenomena in
communication networks (e.g. such as networks with a larger scale,
heterogeneous or mobile nodes etc.). ABM can thus prove to be suitable in
application case studies, testing of new communication protocols,
investigation of problems in large-scale networks before or after deployment
or for modeling improvement in existing algorithms and hardware. 
      The goal of this special issue is to solicit papers, not submitted
elsewhere for review, on the state-of-the-art with a focus on the use of
modeling and simulation for theoretical frameworks, application case studies
as well as novel communication models of Complex Adaptive Communication
Networks and Environments. Suggested topics include but are not limited to:
-     Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks (Routing, data aggregation,
fusion, energy consumption and any other issues)
-     Complex environments surrounding sensors and mobile robots
-     Mobile and swarm robotic networks
-     Nano-Communication networks
-     Mobile ad-hoc networks
-     P2P networks (Structured and Unstructured etc.)
-     Engineered self-organization for Green computing in networks
-     Planning and management of home and corporate (Wired/Wireless)
Networks
-     Modeling and Simulation of Multiagent Systems (including Mobile
agents, Learning and Communicating agents etc.)
-     Effects of cooperative, competitive agents and peers on networks
-     Game theoretical approaches in communication networks
-     Fault-tolerant and self-healing large scale networks
-     Emergent effects of security and trust policies in large scale network
-     Use of agent-based modeling for or in conjunction with network
emulation
-     Service Oriented Architectures, Semantic web, use of XML/SOAP etc.
-     Client Server, three tier and n-tiered architectures
-     Pervasive Communication networks, for example, those using Mobile
Devices, RFIDs and others
-     Simulation of Internet and Intranet scale networks
-     Complex Network analysis itself or else combined with agent-based
modeling for classifying or Modeling and Simulation of large networks
(including measures of Degree, eccentricity and other Centralities,
Clustering Coefficients, Matching indices etc.) of Networks
-     Internet based Social Networking (including the use of Social Network
Analysis)
-     Coupling Formal Specification Models with agent-based modeling of
Communication Networks (using frameworks such as DEVS, FABS etc.)
-     Verification, Validation and Accreditation of network simulation
models
-     Signaling and Communication Networks inside living beings (cells,
animals, plants etc.) or between living or intelligent beings
-     Modeling Communication Networks as Social Simulation problems
-     Critical Comparative Reviews of studies using traditional Network
Simulators and agent-based modeling
-     Use of agent-based, multiagent tools and toolkits (NetLogo, Repast,
Mason, Jade etc.) for modeling of communication networks
      
Submission process:
Full papers, describing original, previously unpublished research work,
reviews, experimental efforts and practical experiences are solicited. The
due dates given below are firm and must be observed in order to ensure
timely reviews and, in the event of acceptance, inclusion of a paper in the
special issue.
Instructions for Manuscript Preparation

For manuscript formatting and other guidelines, please visit the Author
Guidelines for “Simulation”.

Submissions of full Paper for review 
All manuscripts must be submitted electronically through the paper
submission system to the “Simulation” Manuscript Submission System. In the
cover letter, author(s) must specifically mark the paper as intended for
this special issue as follows: "Submission for the Special Issue of
Simulation: Modeling and Simulation of Complex Adaptive Communication
Networks and Environments."

Note: Manuscripts must not have been previously published or be submitted
for publication elsewhere. Each submitted manuscript must include title,
names, authors' affiliations, postal and e-mail addresses and a list of
keywords. For multiple author submission, please identify the corresponding
author. Details on expansion of existing conference papers are given on the
Journal website. 

Links:
Submission System: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/simulation 
Author Guidelines: http://scs.org/?q=node/92 

Due Dates
Full Papers Due   May 31, 2012
Notification of Acceptance    June 30, 2012
Minor Revisions Due     July 31, 2012
Major Revisions & Final Papers Due  September 30, 2012
Publication Expected    Spring 2013
 
Final paper submissions
Each final submission must be prepared based on the Simulation journal
requirements (see Author Guidelines for “Simulation” page).

Guest Editors of the Special Issue:
Muaz Niazi, University of Stirling, Scotland, muaz.niazi at gmail.com, Amir
Hussain, University of Stirling, Scotland, ahu at cs.stir.ac.uk
http://www.uk.sagepub.com/repository/binaries/pdf/SIM-Cacoons.pdf
http://scs.org/simulation/specialissues?q=node/289