Edge networks such as sensor, mobile, and disruption tolerant networks suffer from topological uncertainty and disconnections due to myriad of factors including limited battery capacity on client devices and mobility. Hence, providing reliable, always-on consistency for network applications in such mobile and sensor systems is non-trivial and challenging. However, the problem is of paramount importance given the proliferation of mobile phones, PDAs, laptops, and music players. This thesis identifies two fundamental deterrents to addressing the above problem. First, limited energy on client mobile and sensor devices makes high levels of consistency and availability impossible. Second, unreliable support from the network infrastructure, such as coverage holes in WiFi degrades network performance. We address these two issues in this dissertation through client and infrastructure end modifications. The first part of this thesis proposes a novel energy management architecture called Hierarchical Power Management (HPM). HPM combines platforms with diverse energy needs and capabilities into a single integrated system to provide high levels of consistency and availability at minimal energy consumption. We present two systems Triage and Turducken which are instantiations of HPM for sensor net microservers and laptops respectively. The second part of the thesis proposes and analyzes the use of additional infrastructure in the form of relays, mesh nodes, and base stations to enhance sparse and dense mobile networks. We present the design, implementation, and deployment of Throwboxes a relay system to enhance sparse mobile networks and an associated system for enhancing WiFi based mobile networks.

Le devoir de désobéissance de l'agent public est envisagé en tant qu'il constitue une obligation juridique, c'est-à-dire une «technique sociale» au service d'un certain nombre de choix politiques. La thèse propose de construire des instruments d'analyse susceptibles de produire une topographie générale de l'objet en droit et dans le discours sur le droit. Ils doivent permettre d'identifier et clarifier un certain nombre de questions soulevées par l'existence de ce type d'objet en droit positif, parfois obscurcies par les rapports souvent intuitifs qu'on l'imagine entretenir avec des questionnements moraux fondamentaux. Pour ce faire, le travail de recherche met précisément en œuvre une analyse des fonctions, des structures, et des critères de mise en œuvre de l'obligation en droit interne, en droit international pénal et dans les droits nationaux étrangers. L'étude fait alors apparaître la diversité des dispositifs existants, met au jour certaines dynamiques de la discussion doctrinale et contentieuse, et confirme en définitive l'impossibilité «d'essentialiser» l'objet. Elle permet d'envisager une proposition de modification des dispositifs existants en droit interne. / The duty of disobedience of the public official is envisaged as constituting a legal obligation, that is, as a "social technique" serving a number of policy choices. The thesis proposes to build analytical tools that can produce a general topography of the object in la and in the discourse on the law. It must identify and clarify a number of issues raised by the existence of this type of object in positive law sometimes obscured by the intuitive relationships that we imagine it has with fundamental moral questions. To do this, the research thesis specifically implements an analysis of the functions, structures, and criteria for implementing the obligation in domestic law, international criminal law and foreign national law. The study then shows the diversity of existing obligations, reveals certain dynamics of the doctrinal and contentious debate, and finally confirms the impossibility of "essentializing" the object. It makes it possible to envisage a proposal for modification of the existing systems in domestic law.