Real-Time Data Retrieval in Named Data Networking

The Named Data Networking (NDN) architecture names and secures data directly at the network layer, thus enabling in-network data caching, which in turn facilitates large scale data dissemination. Applications fetch the desired data by names, and the data can come from either the original data producers or router caches. This data retrieval design works seamlessly when the applications know the exact names of data, but poses challenges for realtime applications, such as video and audio conferencing, where new participants may not know the exact names of the latest data production when they join. In this paper we present Realtime Data Retrieval (RDR), a simple protocol that enables applications to discover the latest data. Through prototyping and simulation-based study, we show that RDR can effectively retrieve realtime data with minimal additional delays.