Joseph A . AKINWUMI Network Coding Diploma in Computer Science Wolfson College 2005

Network coding treats data as mathematical objects which can be transformed at network nodes in contrast to the traditional multi-commodity fluid model for network information flow where data can only be replicated or routed. Most previous work in this area has been largely theoretical and simulation-based. The original aim of this project is thus to select and develop an encoder/decoder pair suitable for deploying the concept of network coding in practical systems such as a large-scale content distribution application. If time permitted, we further aimed at demonstrating how the encoder/decoder pair can be integrated into the application. A family of encoder/decoder with suitable encoding/decoding time and memory requirement was selected, implemented in C/C++ and tested. These good codes are based on sparse matrices and iterative decoding. The content distribution network was simulated as a Packet Erasure Channel. We setup a private content distribution network of cTorrent clients and BNBT Trinity Edition tracker, devised a scheme for integrating the encoder/decoder into the cTorrent network for network coding, outlined the changes that need be made to cTorrent source code and described how they can be implemented. Computer Science, hereby declare that this dissertation and the work described in it are my own work, unaided except as may be specified below, and that the dissertation does not contain material that has already been used to any substantial extent for a comparable purpose.