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Better Networking Through Nature

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the we-call-this-router-the-Aardvark dept.

The New York Times has an interesting piece about applying lessons from nature - specifically ant colonies - to solving networking and other problems. Not quite on the same level as Spidergoats, but intriguing nonetheless.

5 of 84 comments (clear)

  1. we-call-this-router-the-Aardvark dept. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Wouldn't that be a packet sniffer?

  2. I'd be afraid... by cyb0rq_m0nk3y · · Score: 2, Funny
    that I'd find my router under the kitched table, eating crumbs.

    --
    eat shit and die, Bambi!
  3. Spidergoats? by imadork · · Score: 3, Funny

    My policy is to not click on any link at Slashdot that mentions Goats. Peiod.

  4. Re:Not really new. by eric2hill · · Score: 3, Funny
    Cool technology!

    Did you do any research on security?
    • Do you require a certain number of ants to show up with successful claims before the chance tables are updated?
    • What happens if many ants are killed along the way (broken cable)?
    • What if someone were to modify the ant's success rate (man-in-the-middle attack)?
    • What if some script kiddie gets a really big magnifying glass?
    --
    LOAD "SIG",8,1
    LOADING...
    READY.
    RUN
  5. Re:Not really new. by rutger21 · · Score: 3, Funny
    Security wasn't really considered yet - the most important goal was to get the network in a stable state.

    Chance table adjustment was done using the outcome of a formula with travel time as a parameter. Naturally the shorter the travel time, the more "chance" this route gets added

    I'm not quite sure how broken cables were handled exactly. I think it was supposed to be managed by the routers itself.

    success rate depends on travel time (or arrivel times at routers). I suppose a router could digitally sign a timestamp or something.

    most script kiddies have two of those things sitting right on their nose!