Reputation and Privacy Issues in Distributed Computing - Research Proposal Example

Umar defines distributed programming as a software framework for developing and executing programs that are capable of running on multiple interconnected systems to realize a common task (109).

The origins of Distributed computing can be traced back as far as the 1970s. However, researchers like Katsikas argue that the domain attained an independent identity only during the past 20 years and that there is a wide scope for further research and development (126). While current distributed models are capable of delivering high-speed, on-demand services via a shared pool of resources and can operate with minimal interaction or management, such recent advances have introduced several more dimensions into factors like privacy and data security that are critical when sharing information. Thus, distributed computing is widely regarded as a new programming paradigm that needs further research for better flexibility together with the identification and resolution of all outstanding issues related to information privacy and reputation (Katsikas 54). The proposed study aims to analyze and understand some of these issues and provide some useful solutions that may be incorporated into future implementations of distributed systems. The reasons for undertaking this research and the necessity to understand this specific segment of distributed computing are elaborated in the subsequent sections.
Literature Review

According to Hubner, environments based on distributed computing paradigms are characterized by peer-to-peer networking, ad-hoc communication through connected and mobile devices, social networking, etc (56). While the logical operation of a distributed network is mostly automated and based on a set of rules, the information that flows through these networks and the configuration of these networks are still controlled by human end users. As a result, the element of trust that cannot be controlled by networks themselves becomes a crucial factor and is necessary for authorized and meaningful interaction among users (Hubner 195). Thus, the proper sharing of information across distributed networks is a challenge to network designers and engineers. Petkovic notes that the question of data privacy i.e., how to share information with accurate representation while maintaining the privacy and designated delivery is one of the major questions currently being explored by researchers (187). While many studies have devised effective solutions that tackle privacy or reputation (trust) related issues, Subramanian argues that most of these have explored only a specific area (92).

Thus, there is not much insight when it comes to evaluating both privacy and trust-related methodologies that are capable of collectively solving the overall problem of proper information sharing. Questions remain on the robustness of the current privacy framework and trust models and the extent to which they can cope with a varying range of attacks. Dubitsky adds that existing techniques are not capable of utilizing any human characteristics or transcending beyond the use of trust as a validation of rules (165). The rapid surge in the use of mobile devices in distributed computing has introduced another important complexity into the equation besides raising new issues on reusable identity, ad-hoc access, and transient communication. The growth of social networking over the past 5-6 years has also raised questions on the validity of identities and trust. Umar further adds that in a decentralized environment such as in distributed computing, human involvement is prone to introducing challenges in areas like human-computer interaction (HCI) (86). These multi-dimensional complexities, therefore, open up new areas of study for the development of better protocols on privacy, content sharing, and reputation, which are capable of handling the latest challenges.

Research Objectives & Scope

The proposed study intends to analyze relevant issues such as privacy, trust, filtering, and security in the reliable and trustworthy preservation and transmission of information across distributed networks. In doing so, the study shall devise new models for enabling trust and privacy in modern networks for different parameters ranging from sociological considerations and data consistency to access control and system implementation. More specifically, the study aims to achieve the following core objectives:

• Understand the current issues and scope of existing trust mechanisms and protocols.
• Identify the appropriate tradeoff in privacy/trust for various network scenarios and configurations.
• Provide a comprehensive framework that can accommodate network architecture, software isolation, information availability, and identity management. Accommodate newer technologies such as Web 2.0, platform virtualization, and service-oriented architecture.
• Simulate all new methodologies for various types of intrusion and attacks.

Research Methodology

Both primary and secondary sources of information shall be utilized for the proposed study. Primary research techniques that will be applied include surveys and personal interviews. Surveys will be conducted for a group of personnel involved with distributed computing either as researchers or working professionals. A well-defined questionnaire will be used for this purpose to understand and aggregate individual experiences and perceptions on current issues of privacy and reputation within distributed computing installations. Personal interviews will then be conducted for some key people in this field upon obtaining prior consent. Doing so will facilitate proper follow-up on inferences drawn from the survey method besides helping corroborate the findings in both cases and arrive at some useful conclusions. Read More