The subject of this thesis is searching in unstructured peer-to-peer systems. Such systems have been used for a variety of different applications, including file-sharing, content distribution and video streaming. These applications have been very popular; they contribute to a large percentage of today's Internet traffic and their users typically number in the millions. By searching, we refer to the process of locating content stored by peers. Searching in unstructured peer-to-peer systems poses a challenge because of high churn: both the topology and the content stored by peers can change quickly as peers arrive and depart, while the network formed under this churn process can be arbitrary at any point in time. As a result, a search mechanism must operate without any a priori assumptions on this dynamic topology. Ideally, a search mechanism should be scalable: as, typically, peers have limited bandwidth, the traffic generated by queries should not grow significantly as the peer population increases. Moreover, a search mechanism should also be reliable: if certain content is in the system, searching should locate it with reasonable guarantees. These two goals can be conflicting, as generating more queries increases a mechanism's reliability but decreases its scalability. Hence, a fundamental question regarding searching in unstructured systems is whether a mechanism can exhibit both properties, despite the network's dynamic and arbitrary nature. In this thesis, we show this is indeed the case, by proposing a novel mechanism that is both scalable and reliable. This is shown under a mathematical model that captures the evolution of both network and content in an unstructured system, but is also verified through simulations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first provably scalable and reliable search mechanism for unstructured peer-to-peer systems. In addition to the above problem, we also consider a hybrid peer-to-peer system, in which the peer-to-peer network co-exists with a central server. The purpose of this hybrid architecture is to reduce the server's traffic by delegating part of it to its clients ---\emph{i.e.}, the peers: a peer wishing to retrieve certain content first propagates a query over the peer-to-peer network, and downloads the content from the server only if the query fails. This hybrid architecture can be used to partially decentralize a content distribution server, a search engine, an online encyclopedia, etc. The trade-off between scalability and reliability translates, in the hybrid case, to a trade-off between the peer and the server traffic loads. We propose a search mechanism under which both loads remain bounded as the peer population grows. This is surprising, and has an important implication: one can construct hybrid peer-to-peer systems that can handle traffic generated by a large (unbounded) peer population, even when both the server and peer bandwidth capacities are limited. Again, this is proved under a model capturing the hybrid system's dynamic nature and verified through simulations. To the best of our knowledge, our work is the first to show that hybrid systems with such properties exist.

The subject of this thesis is searching in unstructured peer-to-peer systems. Such systems have been used for a variety of different applications, including file-sharing, content distribution and video streaming. These applications have been very popular; they contribute to a large percentage of today's Internet traffic and their users typically number in the millions. By searching, we refer to the process of locating content stored by peers. Searching in unstructured peer-to-peer systems poses a challenge because of high churn: both the topology and the content stored by peers can change quickly as peers arrive and depart, while the network formed under this churn process can be arbitrary at any point in time. As a result, a search mechanism must operate without any a priori assumptions on this dynamic topology. Ideally, a search mechanism should be scalable: as, typically, peers have limited bandwidth, the traffic generated by queries should not grow significantly as the peer population increases. Moreover, a search mechanism should also be reliable: if certain content is in the system, searching should locate it with reasonable guarantees. These two goals can be conflicting, as generating more queries increases a mechanism's reliability but decreases its scalability. Hence, a fundamental question regarding searching in unstructured systems is whether a mechanism can exhibit both properties, despite the network's dynamic and arbitrary nature. In this thesis, we show this is indeed the case, by proposing a novel mechanism that is both scalable and reliable. This is shown under a mathematical model that captures the evolution of both network and content in an unstructured system, but is also verified through simulations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first provably scalable and reliable search mechanism for unstructured peer-to-peer systems. In addition to the above problem, we also consider a hybrid peer-to-peer system, in which the peer-to-peer network co-exists with a central server. The purpose of this hybrid architecture is to reduce the server's traffic by delegating part of it to its clients ---\emph{i.e.}, the peers: a peer wishing to retrieve certain content first propagates a query over the peer-to-peer network, and downloads the content from the server only if the query fails. This hybrid architecture can be used to partially decentralize a content distribution server, a search engine, an online encyclopedia, etc. The trade-off between scalability and reliability translates, in the hybrid case, to a trade-off between the peer and the server traffic loads. We propose a search mechanism under which both loads remain bounded as the peer population grows. This is surprising, and has an important implication: one can construct hybrid peer-to-peer systems that can handle traffic generated by a large (unbounded) peer population, even when both the server and peer bandwidth capacities are limited. Again, this is proved under a model capturing the hybrid system's dynamic nature and verified through simulations. To the best of our knowledge, our work is the first to show that hybrid systems with such properties exist.

Multicasting in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) is an efficient method for group communications that has received considerable attention. However, developing a scalable, robust and efficient multicast method in MANETs is difficult owing to group membership management and the ability to maintain a multicast structure over a dynamic topology. This work presents a novel Robust Mesh-based Multicast Protocol (RMMP) that integrates the advantages of tree-based and mesh-based multicast protocols and reduces data recovery time when paths break. The proposed RMMP is performed in two ways. One is to construct a multicast structure using a binary tree, and the other is to provide a second-route discovery scheme. The former distributes transmission averagely among member nodes, and the latter reduces the number of articulation nodes to eliminate loss of data packets. Simulation results demonstrate that the RMMP is suitable for heavy traffic loads, and achieves a high delivery ratio. Furthermore, the RMMP is robust in recovering data transmission when paths break.

Aerospace Engineering / The aim of this thesis is to explore the high strain rate behavior of metallic specimens using electromagnetic inductive loading as the means to inflict the required high strain rate deformation on laboratory scale specimens, allowing for controlled, repeatable experiments to be performed. Three separate experiments were designed and performed, using helical and spiral coils as the sources of radial and unidirectional loading. The first experiment evaluated the effect of applying a polymer coating on 30.5 mm diameter, Al 6061- O tube samples, in two lengths, 18 and 36 mm. The expanding tube experiment was used to apply a radial loading on the specimens and record the event. Several optical techniques were then used to evaluate the behavior of the samples. Coatings of polyurea and polycarbonate were used. It was observed that the polycarbonate coating seemed to have a more profound effect on the behavior of the metal, by applying a larger restraining pressure on the tube surface during the expansion process, and thereby modifying the stress state of the specimen. The second experiment looked to design an experimental arrangement to test the plane strain, high strain rate behavior of Al 6061-O tubes of different lengths. A 112 mm long solenoid was designed and manufactured, and testing was performed on 30.5 mm diameter Al 6061-O tubes in lengths of 50, 70 and 90 mm. It was observed that the coil behaved similar to shorter ones at low voltages and that the longer the specimen used, the more its deformation path approached a plane strain condition. Finally, a third experiment was performed to develop an experiment to accelerate a plate to high linear velocities, as a means to evaluate the use of a flat spiral coil as the driver for future experiments based upon electromagnetic inductive loading. A prototype coil was manufactured and installed into a converted expanding tube experimental setup. Three samples were tested in several sizes, and materials: aluminum and steel. Speeds in the range of 45 to 251 m/s were obtained, validating the apparatus as a viable method to provide a unidirectional loading. / text

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