UserNet (ML-based Monitoring and Management of QoE for User-centric Communication Networks, Emmy Noether Junior Research Group funded by German Research Foundation (DFG))

In order to allow QoE monitoring for arbitrary Internet applications, the interplays between QoE and user interactions is investigated and modelled based on measurements and subjective studies. In addition, ML methods are adapted to the domain in order to apply them to encrypted network traffic. This allows to quantify the QoE by monitoring interactions and the resulting changes in the encrypted application traffic. Based on this, a data-driven improvement of QoE and QoE fairness is enabled by using reinforcement learning to find optimal network configurations by interacting with the dynamic network environment. By means of powerful, software-defined networking (SDN) technologies like P4, together with available computing resources in the network, such fine-granular models can now be implemented in the network for the first time, such that network management becomes more dynamic. Thus, the implementation of the required ML-based algorithms and components and their integration into network operation is researched.