Bringing Modern Web Applications to Disconnected Networks

Abstract

Disconnected networks arise in environments where stable, wellconnected infrastructure connectivity is not ubiquitous. In practice, these arise particularly in mobile systems, where the connectivity can be achieved through short-range, pair-wise contacts between mobile nodes. Information-centric Networking provides a highlevel framework through which many different systems for disconnected networking can be understood. In this paper, we present a system built on top of the ICN abstraction that allows interactive web applications to be developed and deployed in disconnected networks. We describe our system and protocol design, validate its operation using simulations, and report on our implementation including adaptations of six existing apps into web applications capable of being deployed in disconnected networks.