With the introduction of Web 2.0 technologies, the Internet has evolved from a set of information silos into a platform for collaboration, content exchange, and application development.
Another direction is the Semantic Web, Web 3.0, whereby data will not only be represented in a human accessible format, but also in a machine accessible one. This allows for automated information search, integration, and publishing.
To improve functionality and user experience, network devices have to play a key role in supporting the evolution of the Web. This research area aims at addressing the architectural implications of next generation Web support in network devices.
Web 2.0: Collaboration tools and rich user experience
Web 2.0 refers to a perceived second generation of web-based communities and services such as social-networking, wikis, blogs, podcasts, and RSS feeds which all aim to facilitate collaboration and sharing among users.
Although the term Web 2.0 suggests a new version of the World Wide Web, it actually refers to changes in the way software developers and end-users use the web: from an information retrieval infrastructure (Web 1.0), to a platform for content exchange and flattened collaboration (Web 2.0).
In the context of Web 2.0, new transport protocols and application models (e.g. Comet, AJAX, and SOAP) are emerging with the goal of improving the user experience. This research subtopic aims at identifying the set of technologies needed to enable native support of such protocols and applications into network devices.
Web 3.0: Semantic Web
Web 3.0 is a 'yet to be completely defined’ term which is assumed to refer to the evolution of Web usage and interaction in various directions. These include transforming the Web into a database, a move towards making content accessible by non-browser applications, the leveraging of artificial intelligence technologies, and, above all, the Semantic Web.
The Semantic Web evolution is of particular interest because it aims at expressing web content not only in a natural human-accessible language, but also in a format that can be read and used by software agents. This will allow them to find, share, and integrate information more easily. This may potentially turn the Web into a universal medium for data, information, and knowledge exchange.
The goal of this research area is:
Help in defining and shaping the Web 3.0/Semantic Web.
Identify the technologies needed to natively support Web 3.0/Semantic Web into network devices.
If your research topic doesn't directly address any of the proposed RFPs please submit it as a generic proposal for this area.
If you have comments, questions or feedbacks related to this area please don’t hesitate to contact us at research-web@cisco.com
