CIF: NeTS: Medium: Collaborative Research: Unifying Data Synchronization

Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)

Award Number: CCF-1563753

Abstract:

This project addresses the technical means of maintaining and sharing the huge amounts of diverse data that are being generated from the computing devices that increasingly envelop everyday lives, specifically by improving synchronization technology. The goal is to synthesize various approaches that have been developed, often in an ad hoc manner and in various fields, into a general, holistic solution that includes benefits from new analyses and solutions. The approach is fundamental in nature, and its effectiveness shows promise for impact on a diverse set of technologies, including mobile and cloud computing, digital currency, security, and biological sequencing. Part of the work involves outreach to younger students, such as initial efforts at setting up a novel computing-based summer program for high school students.

The project focuses on four research thrusts. The first involves an analysis, comparison, and improvement (where possible) of core point-to-point synchronization primitives from the existing literature. The second thrust generalizes these primitives to higher-dimensional data, such as files, images, video, databases, and graphs. The third research thrust involves developing approaches for synchronizing data from many synchronizing parties communicating through a variety of channels. Finally, the project aims to implement a general data synchronization engine based on the research results, together with an evaluation of various applications.

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