Tackling the complexity of future networks

Though the Internet succeeded to converge data and voice networks, it itself is diverging now. The authors believe this derives from two facts; one is the end of universal service era thanks to abundant communication services, and the other the fusion of computers and communications because the speed of networks is catching up that of computer's internal bus. These facts allow us to build networks proprietary for specific purposes such as sensor networks or web services for e-commerce where computer and communication technologies are tightly integrated. As a result, networks are becoming enormously complicated and heterogeneous, and without our effort they will become uncontrollable. The authors believe active network technologies were a good try, but it was not enough. Theories build on solid mathematical basis is indispensable for the analysis of huge systems, and we should try to build such theory. Complex systems theory provides various mathematical formulas such as 'scale-free', and it can be a good starting point. We show as an example that by using self-organization theory ubiquitous networks are considered indispensable for system stability in future business network environment.