Search

Blockchain technology presents numerous advantages that include increased transparency, reduced transaction costs, faster transaction settlement, automation of information, increased traceability, improved customer experience, improved digital identity, better cyber security, and user-controlled networks. These potential applications are widespread and diverse including funds transfer, smart contracts, e-voting, efficient supply chain, and more in nearly every sector of society including finance, healthcare, law, trade, real estate, and other important areas. However, there are challenges and limitations that exist such as high energy consumption, limited scalability, complexity, security, network size, lack of regulations, and other critical issues. Nevertheless, blockchain is an attractive technology and has much to offer to the modern-day industry. Industry Use Cases on Blockchain Technology Applications in IoT and the Financial Sector investigates blockchain technology's adoption and effectiveness in multiple industries and for the internet of things (IoT)-based applications, presents use cases from industrial and financial sectors as well as from other transaction-based services, and fills a gap in this respect by extending the existing body of knowledge in the suggested field. While highlighting topics such as cybersecurity, use cases, and models for blockchain implementation, this book is ideal for business managers, financial accountants, practitioners, researchers, academicians, and students interested in blockchain technology's role and implementation in IoT and the financial sector.

In recent years, intelligent cities, also known as smart cities or cognitive cities, have become a perceived solution for improving the quality of life of citizens while boosting the efficiency of city services and processes. This new vision involves the integration of various sectors of society through the use of the internet of things. By continuing to enhance research for the better development of the smart environments needed to sustain intelligent cities, citizens will be empowered to provision the e-services provided by the city, city officials will have the ability to interact directly with the community as well as monitor digital environments, and smart communities will be developed where citizens can enjoy improved quality of life. Developing and Monitoring Smart Environments for Intelligent Cities compiles the latest research on the development, management, and monitoring of digital cities and intelligent environments into one complete reference source. The book contains chapters that examine current technologies and the future use of internet of things frameworks as well as device connectivity approaches, communication protocols, security challenges, and their inherent issues and limitations. Including unique coverage on topics such as connected vehicles for smart transportation, security issues for smart homes, and building smart cities for the blind, this reference is ideal for practitioners, urban developers, urban planners, academicians, researchers, and students.

This book focuses on the development and implementation of cloud-based, complex software that allows parallelism, fast processing, and real-time connectivity. Software engineering (SE) is the design, development, testing, and implementation of software applications, and this discipline is as well developed as the practice is well established whereas the Cloud Software Engineering (CSE) is the design, development, testing, and continuous delivery of service-oriented software systems and applications (Software as a Service Paradigm). However, with the emergence of the highly attractive cloud computing (CC) paradigm, the tools and techniques for SE are changing. CC provides the latest software development environments and the necessary platforms relatively easily and inexpensively. It also allows the provision of software applications equally easily and on a pay-as-you-go basis. Business requirements for the use of software are also changing and there is a need for applicationsin big data analytics, parallel computing, AI, natural language processing, and biometrics, etc. These require huge amounts of computing power and sophisticated data management mechanisms, as well as device connectivity for Internet of Things (IoT) environments. In terms of hardware, software, communication, and storage, CC is highly attractive for developing complex software that is rapidly becoming essential for all sectors of life, including commerce, health, education, and transportation. The book fills a gap in the SE literature by providing scientific contributions from researchers and practitioners, focusing on frameworks, methodologies, applications, benefits and inherent challenges/barriers to engineering software using the CC paradigm.

The emergence of cloud computing, internet of things, mobile technologies, and social networking have created better-connected members of the public who are digitally linked with each other in real time. Establishing this two-way interaction between citizens and governments has thus become attractive and an expected feature of governments worldwide. Previously, federal and local governments relied on first-generation technologies to provide basic levels of automation and digitization. Now, because of their desire to become more open, transparent, accountable, and connected, newer technologies including cloud computing, mobile networking, big data analytics, Web 2.0, and social media must be developed and utilized. Web 2.0 and Cloud Technologies for Implementing Connected Government is an essential reference source that presents various dimensions of connected government and connected e-governance visions as well as the latest emerging technologies. Offering development methodologies, practical examples, best practices, case studies, and the latest research, this book covers new strategies for implementing better-connected government models and the technologies that serve to establish these frameworks, including in-depth examinations of mobile technologies, automation, business intelligence, etc. as well as the various ethical and security issues surrounding the use and protection of data. This book is essential for federal, state, and local government officials; policymakers; civil servants; IT specialists; security analysts; academicians; researchers; and students.

This book presents an overview of the latest smart transportation systems, IoV connectivity frameworks, issues of security and safety in VANETs, future developments in the IoV, technical solutions to address key challenges, and other related topics. A connected vehicle is a vehicle equipped with Internet access and wireless LAN, which allows the sharing of data through various devices, inside as well as outside the vehicle. The ad-hoc network of such vehicles, often referred to as VANET or the Internet of vehicles (IoV), is an application of IoT technology, and may be regarded as an integration of three types of networks: inter-vehicle, intra-vehicle, and vehicular mobile networks. VANET involves several varieties of vehicle connectivity mechanisms, including vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-cloud (V2C), and vehicle-to-everything (V2X). According to one survey, it is expected that there will be approximately 380 million connected cars on the roads by 2020. IoV is an important aspect of the new vision for smart transportation. The book is divided into three parts: examining the evolution of IoV (basic concepts, principles, technologies, and architectures), connectivity of vehicles in the IoT (protocols, frameworks, and methodologies), connected vehicle environments and advanced topics in VANETs (security and safety issues, autonomous operations, machine learning, sensor technology, and AI). By providing scientific contributions and workable suggestions from researchers and practitioners in the areas of IoT, IoV, and security, this valuable reference aims to extend the body of existing knowledge.

This book has a focus on the development and deployment of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) paradigm, discussing frameworks, methodologies, benefits and limitations, as well as providing case studies of employing the IoT vision in the industrial domain. IIoT is becoming an attractive business reality for many organisations such as manufacturing, logistics, oil and gas, energy and other utilities, mining, aviation, and many more. The opportunities for this paradigm are huge, and according to one report, the IIoT market is predicted to reach $125 billion by 2021. The driving philosophy behind the IIoT is that smart machines are better than humans at accurately capturing, analysing and communicating real-time data. The underlying technologies include distributed computing, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and machine-to-machine communication, with a typical IIoT system consisting of intelligent systems (applications, controllers, sensors, and security mechanisms), data communication infrastructure (cloud computing, edge computing, etc.), data analytics (to support business intelligence and corporate decision making), and most importantly the human element. The promised benefits of the IIoT include enhanced safety, better reliability, smart metering, inventory management, equipment tracking, and facilities management. There are, however, numerous issues that are also becoming the focus of active research, such as concerns regarding service availability, data security, and device communication. Lack of ubiquitous interoperability between heterogeneous devices is also a major concern. This book intends to fill a gap in the IIoT literature by providing the scientific contributions and latest developments from researchers and practitioners of international repute, focusing on frameworks, methodologies, benefits, and inherent issues/barriers to connected environments, especially in industrial settings.The intendedaudience includes network specialists, hardware engineers, and security experts who wish to adopt newer approaches for device connectivity, IoT security, and sensor-based devices design. University level students, researchers and practitioners will also find the latest innovation in technology and newer approaches relevant to the IIoT from a distributed computing perspective.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of devices and smart things that provides a pervasive environment in which people can interact with both the cyber and physical worlds. As the number and variety of connected objects continue to grow and the devices themselves become smarter, users'expectations in terms of adaptive and self-governing digital environments are also on the rise. Although, this connectivity and the resultant smarter living is highly attractive to general public and profitable for the industry, there are also inherent concerns. The most challenging of these refer to the privacy and security of data, user trust of the digital systems, and relevant authentication mechanisms. These aspects call for novel network architectures and middleware platforms based on new communication technologies; as well as the adoption of novel context-aware management approaches and more efficient tools and devices.In this context, this book explorescentral issues of privacy, security and trust with regard to the IoT environments, as well as technical solutions to help address them. The main topics covered include:•Basic concepts, principles and related technologies•Security/privacy of data, and trust issues•Mechanisms for security, privacy, trust and authentication•Success indicators, performance metrics and future directions.This reference text is aimed at supporting a number of potential audiences, including•Network Specialists, Hardware Engineers and Security Experts •Students, Researchers, Academics and Practitioners.

Ambient intelligence (AmI) is an element of pervasive computing that brings smartness to living and business environments to make them more sensitive, adaptive, autonomous and personalized to human needs. It refers to intelligent interfaces that recognise human presence and preferences, and adjust smart environments to suit their immediate needs and requirements. The key factor is the presence of intelligence and decision-making capabilities in IoT environments. The underlying technologies include pervasive computing, ubiquitous communication, seamless connectivity of smart devices, sensor networks, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and context-aware human-computer interaction (HCI). AmI applications and scenarios include smart homes, autonomous self-driving vehicles, healthcare systems, smart roads, the industry sector, smart facilities management, the education sector, emergency services, and many more. The advantages of AmI in the IoT environment are extensive. However, as for any new technological paradigm, there are also many open issues and limitations. This book discusses the AmI element of the IoT and the relevant principles, frameworks, and technologies in particular, as well as the benefits and inherent limitations. It reviews the state of the art of current developments relating to smart spaces and AmI-based IoT environments. Written by leading international researchers and practitioners, the majority of the contributions focus on device connectivity, pervasive computing and context modelling (including communication, security, interoperability, scalability, and adaptability). The book presents cutting-edge research, current trends, and case studies, as well as suggestions to further our understanding and the development and enhancement of the AmI-IoT vision.

This invaluable text/reference investigates the state of the art in approaches to building, monitoring, managing, and governing smart cities. A particular focus is placed on the distributed computing environments within the infrastructure of such cities, including issues of device connectivity, communication, security, and interoperability. A selection of experts of international repute offer their perspectives on current trends and best practices, and their suggestions for future developments, together with case studies supporting the vision of smart cities based on the Internet of Things (IoT).Topics and features: examines the various methodologies relating to next-level urbanization, including approaches to security and privacy relating to social and legal aspects; describes a recursive and layered approach to modeling large-scale resource management systems for self-sustainable cities; proposes a novel architecture for hybrid vehicular wireless sensor networks, and a pricingmechanism for the management of natural resources; discusses the challenges and potential solutions to building smart city surveillance systems, applying knowledge-based governance, and adopting electric vehicles; covers topics on intelligent distributed systems, IoT, fog computing paradigms, big data management and analytics, and smart grids; reviews issues of sustainability in the design of smart cities and healthcare services, illustrated by case studies taken from cities in Japan, India, and Brazil.This illuminating volume offers a comprehensive reference for researchers investigating smart cities and the IoT, students interested in the distributed computing technologies used by smart living systems, and practitioners wishing to adopt the latest security and connectivity techniques in smart city environments.

This authoritative text/reference describes the state of the art of fog computing, presenting insights from an international selection of renowned experts. A particular focus is provided on development approaches, architectural mechanisms, and measurement metrics for building smart adaptable environments. The coverage also includes important related topics such as device connectivity, security and interoperability, and communication methods.Topics and features: introduces the core concepts and principles of fog computing, and reviews the latest research and best practice relating to fog/edge environments; discusses the vision for an Internet of Things (IoT) in terms of fog computing and other related distributed computing paradigms, such as cloud computing; presents a survey of the key issues and broader aspects of the fog paradigm, as well as the factors that affect adoption of fog computing; examines frameworks and methodologies for fog-based architecture design, improving performance, and measuring quality of experience; proposes tools and methodologies for analyzing large amounts of sensor data from smart city initiatives; describes approaches for designing robust services, management of data-intensive applications, context-aware data analysis, and vehicular networking; identifies potential future research directions and technological innovations in relation to distributed computing environments such as the IoT.This enlightening volume offers essential perspectives for researchers of distributed computing and computer networking, as well as for advanced undergraduate and graduate students pursuing interests in this area. Professional engineers seeking to enhance security and connectivity in their IoT systems will also find this work to be a valuable reference.

This book provides user studies and theories related to user-centered technology design processes for e-government projects. The book mainly discusses inherent issues of technology design implications, user experiences, and guidelines for technology appropriation. Ethnographic studies focusing on real life examples will enable readers to understand the problems in an effective way. Furthermore, the theories and results will help researchers and practitioners to handle these challenges in an efficient way.E-Government is about harnessing the information revolution to improve the efficiency of government processes and the lives of citizens. It aims at a citizen centered approach to governance through effective use of the Internet and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). E-Government promotes transparency and effectiveness of a government's processes as well as citizens'participation (e-participation) in the affairs of the government. Whereas E-government projectsare huge undertakings for government departments, a user-centric approach requires citizens'participation in the design and delivery of e government services. In both these respects, there are huge challenges and governments require long term commitment as well as correct planning and availability of financial resources to address them.System design for e-governmental applications is inherently a complex process. In successful e-government projects, appropriately designed technology infrastructure plays a pivotal rule. The technology appropriation process requires that e-government technologies should be in line with the work practices of end users, so that successful usage of these technologies can be realized. E-governmental systems which fail to take into account such human factors result in failure and wasting huge amounts of public money as well as a loss of confidence of the public in such technological infrastructures. It is highly important that citizens are enabled to have access to the appropriate information technology, have knowledge and skills to use the available technology, and have the positive commitment to affect the governments'strategies. So, enabling citizens to effectively participate is much more difficult. This book addresses these inherent challenges and available opportunities with respect to user-centric e-government.

This authoritative text/reference describes the state of the art in requirements engineering for software systems for distributed computing. A particular focus is placed on integrated solutions, which take into account the requirements of scalability, flexibility, sustainability and operability for distributed environments. Topics and features: discusses the latest developments, tools, technologies and trends in software requirements engineering; reviews the relevant theoretical frameworks, practical approaches and methodologies for service requirements; examines the three key components of the requirements engineering process, namely requirements elicitation, requirements specification, and requirements validation and evaluation; presents detailed contributions from an international selection of highly reputed experts in the field; offers guidance on best practices, and suggests directions for further research in the area.

This comprehensive text/reference presents a broad-ranging overview of device connectivity in distributed computing environments, supporting the vision of an Internet of Things (IoT). Expert perspectives are provided by an international selection of researchers from both industry and academia, covering issues of communication, security, privacy, interoperability, networking, access control, and authentication. In addition to discussing state-of-the-art research and practice, the book includes corporate analyses offering a balanced view of benefits and limitations, and numerous case studies illustrating the challenges and practical solutions.Topics and features: discusses issues of security and privacy in connected environments, with a specific focus on the impact of the IoT paradigm on enterprise information systems; examines the challenges of managing big data in IoT environments, and proposes cloud computing-based solutions to the limitations inherent in the IoT paradigm; suggests approaches to overcome service-level interoperability problems in the IoT environment; introduces a mobile IoT simulator designed to evaluate the behavior of IoT systems, in addition to a novel approach to manage hyper-connectivity in the IoT; describes the use of the Essence framework to model software development methods, and highlights the benefits of integrating data from smart buildings and IoT devices; presents an asymmetric schema matching mechanism for IoT interoperability, and explores the topic of automatic provenance capture at the middleware level; reviews emerging network topologies and communication technologies, and advises on the adoption of a data distribution service as a middleware platform for IoT systems.This practically-oriented volume serves as a complete reference for students, researchers and practitioners of distributed computing, providing insights into the latest approaches, technologies, and frameworks relevant to the IoT environment.

This unique volume explores cutting-edge management approaches to developing complex software that is efficient, scalable, sustainable, and suitable for distributed environments. Practical insights are offered by an international selection of pre-eminent authorities, including case studies, best practices, and balanced corporate analyses. Emphasis is placed on the use of the latest software technologies and frameworks for life-cycle methods, including the design, implementation and testing stages of software development. Topics and features:· Reviews approaches for reusability, cost and time estimation, and for functional size measurement of distributed software applications· Discusses the core characteristics of a large-scale defense system, and the design of software project management (SPM) as a service· Introduces the 3PR framework, research on crowdsourcing software development, and an innovative approach to modeling large-scale multi-agent software systems· Examines a system architecture for ambient assisted living, and an approach to cloud migration and management assessment· Describes a software error proneness mechanism, a novel Scrum process for use in the defense domain, and an ontology annotation for SPM in distributed environments· Investigates the benefits of agile project management for higher education institutions, and SPM that combines software and data engineering This important text/reference is essential reading for project managers and software engineers involved in developing software for distributed computing environments. Students and researchers interested in SPM technologies and frameworks will also find the work to be an invaluable resource. Prof. Zaigham Mahmood is a Senior Technology Consultant at Debesis Education UK and an Associate Lecturer (Research) at the University of Derby, UK. He also holds positions as Foreign Professor at NUST and IIU in Islamabad, Pakistan, and Professor Extraordinaire at the North West University Potchefstroom, South Africa.

This timely volume provides a review of the state-of-the-art frameworks and methodologies for connecting diverse objects and devices according to the vision for an Internet of Things (IoT). A specific focus is placed on the communication, security, and privacy aspects of device connectivity in distributed environments. Insights and case studies are provided by an authoritative selection of contributors of international repute into the latest research advances and practical approaches with respect to the connectivity of heterogeneous smart and sensory devices. Topics and features: Examines aspects of device connectivity within the IoTPresents a resource-based architecture for IoT, and proposes a resource management framework for corporate device cloudsReviews integration approaches for the IoT environment, and discusses performance optimization of intelligent home networksIntroduces a novel solution for interoperable data management in multi-clouds, and suggests an approach that addresses the debate over network neutrality in the IoTDescribes issues of data security, privacy, access control, and authentication in the distributed IoT environmentReviews the evolution of VANETs in relation to the Internet of Vehicles, and provides a perspective on developing smart sustainable cities This invaluable text/reference will be of great benefit to a broad audience, from students and researchers interested in the IoT vision, to practicing communication engineers and network security specialists.

This illuminating text/reference surveys the state of the art in data science, and provides practical guidance on big data analytics. Expert perspectives are provided by authoritative researchers and practitioners from around the world, discussing research developments and emerging trends, presenting case studies on helpful frameworks and innovative methodologies, and suggesting best practices for efficient and effective data analytics. Features: reviews a framework for fast data applications, a technique for complex event processing, and agglomerative approaches for the partitioning of networks; introduces a unified approach to data modeling and management, and a distributed computing perspective on interfacing physical and cyber worlds; presents techniques for machine learning for big data, and identifying duplicate records in data repositories; examines enabling technologies and tools for data mining; proposes frameworks for data extraction, and adaptive decision making and social media analysis.

Computer programs and processes that take into account the goals and needs of the user meet with the greatest success, so it behooves software engineers to consider the human element inherent in every line of code they write. Human Factors in Software Development and Design brings together high quality research on the influence and impact of ordinary people on the software industry. With the goal of improving the quality and usability of computer technologies, this premier reference is intended for students and practitioners of software engineering as well as researchers, educators, and interested laymen.

This book reviews the challenging issues that present barriers to greater implementation of the cloud computing paradigm, together with the latest research into developing potential solutions. Topics and features: presents a focus on the most important issues and limitations of cloud computing, covering cloud security and architecture, QoS and SLAs; discusses a methodology for cloud security management, and proposes a framework for secure data storage and identity management in the cloud; introduces a simulation tool for energy-aware cloud environments, and an efficient congestion control system for data center networks; examines the issues of energy-aware VM consolidation in the IaaS provision, and software-defined networking for cloud related applications; reviews current trends and suggests future developments in virtualization, cloud security, QoS data warehouses, cloud federation approaches, and DBaaS provision; predicts how the next generation of utility computing infrastructures will be designed.

This book captures the state of the art in cloud technologies, infrastructures, and service delivery and deployment models. The work provides guidance and case studies on the development of cloud-based services and infrastructures from an international selection of expert researchers and practitioners. Features: presents a focus on security and access control mechanisms for cloud environments, analyses standards and brokerage services, and investigates the role of certification for cloud adoption; evaluates cloud ERP, suggests a framework for implementing “big data” science, and proposes an approach for cloud interoperability; reviews existing elasticity management solutions, discusses the relationship between cloud management and governance, and describes the development of a cloud service capability assessment model; examines cloud applications in higher education, including the use of knowledge-as-a-service in the provision of education, and cloud-based e-learning for students with disabilities.

Clouds are distributed technology platforms that leverage sophisticated technology innovations to provide highly scalable and resilient environments that can be remotely utilized by organizations in a multitude of powerful ways. To successfully build upon, integrate with, or even create a cloud environment requires an understanding of its common inner mechanics, architectural layers, and models, as well as an understanding of the business and economic factors that result from the adoption and real-world use of cloud-based services. In Cloud Computing: Concepts, Technology & Architecture, Thomas Erl, one of the world's top-selling IT authors, teams up with cloud computing experts and researchers to break down proven and mature cloud computing technologies and practices into a series of well-defined concepts, models, technology mechanisms, and technology architectures, all from an industry-centric and vendor-neutral point of view. In doing so, the book establishes concrete, academic coverage with a focus on structure, clarity, and well-defined building blocks for mainstream cloud computing platforms and solutions. Subsequent to technology-centric coverage, the book proceeds to establish business-centric models and metrics that allow for the financial assessment of cloud-based IT resources and their comparison to those hosted on traditional IT enterprise premises. Also provided are templates and formulas for calculating SLA-related quality-of-service values and numerous explorations of the SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS delivery models. With more than 260 figures, 29 architectural models, and 20 mechanisms, this indispensable guide provides a comprehensive education of cloud computing essentials that will never leave your side.

To be successful in the 21st century, governments must make use of digital and communication technologies in order to coordinate resources and collaborate with their citizens. IT in the Public Sphere: Applications in Administration, Government, Politics, and Planning evaluates current research and best practices in the adoption of e-government technologies in developed and developing countries, enabling governments to keep in constant communication with citizens, constituents, corporations, and other stakeholders in modern societies. Within these chapters, scholars, administrators, managers, and leaders will find the latest information on utilizing digital technologies in their e-governance projects.

The emergence of e-government allows for effective governance, increased transparency, better management, and efficient services through the use of the internet and information and communication technologies. Therefore, world governments are mobilizing large amounts of resources in order to implement and promote the use of e-government. Developing E-Government Projects: Frameworks and Methodologies presents frameworks and methodologies for strategies towards the design, implementation, and adoption of e-government projects. By providing best practices in the successful adoption of e-government, this book is essential for policy makers, practitioners, researchers, and students interested in the approaches utilized for the successful implementation of e-government projects.

This book presents both state-of-the-art research developments and practical guidance on approaches, technologies and frameworks for the emerging cloud paradigm. Topics and features: presents the state of the art in cloud technologies, infrastructures, and service delivery and deployment models; discusses relevant theoretical frameworks, practical approaches and suggested methodologies; offers guidance and best practices for the development of cloud-based services and infrastructures, and examines management aspects of cloud computing; reviews consumer perspectives on mobile cloud computing and cloud-based enterprise resource planning; explores software performance testing, open-source cloudware support, and assessment methodologies for modernization, migration and pre-migration; describes emerging new methodologies relevant to the cloud paradigm, and provides suggestions for future developments and research directions.

This book presents the latest research on Software Engineering Frameworks for the Cloud Computing Paradigm, drawn from an international selection of researchers and practitioners. The book offers both a discussion of relevant software engineering approaches and practical guidance on enterprise-wide software deployment in the cloud environment, together with real-world case studies. Features: presents the state of the art in software engineering approaches for developing cloud-suitable applications; discusses the impact of the cloud computing paradigm on software engineering; offers guidance and best practices for students and practitioners; examines the stages of the software development lifecycle, with a focus on the requirements engineering and testing of cloud-based applications; reviews the efficiency and performance of cloud-based applications; explores feature-driven and cloud-aided software design; provides relevant theoretical frameworks, practical approaches and future research directions.

This important text provides a single point of reference for state-of-the-art cloud computing design and implementation techniques. The book examines cloud computing from the perspective of enterprise architecture, asking the question; how do we realize new business potential with our existing enterprises? Topics and features: with a Foreword by Thomas Erl; contains contributions from an international selection of preeminent experts; presents the state-of-the-art in enterprise architecture approaches with respect to cloud computing models, frameworks, technologies, and applications; discusses potential research directions, and technologies to facilitate the realization of emerging business models through enterprise architecture approaches; provides relevant theoretical frameworks, and the latest empirical research findings.