Toward decentralized probabilistic management

In recent years, data communication networks have grown to immense size and have been diversified by the mobile revolution. Existing management solutions are based on a centralized deterministic paradigm, which is appropriate for networks of moderate size operating in relatively stable conditions. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that these management solutions are not able to cope with the large dynamic networks that are emerging. In this article, we argue that the adoption of a decentralized and probabilistic paradigm for network management will be crucial to meet the challenges of future networks, such as efficient resource usage, scalability, robustness, and adaptability. We discuss the potential of decentralized probabilistic management and its impact on management operations, and illustrate the paradigm by three example solutions for real-time monitoring and anomaly detection.