ICT4D course 2013 - Low resources infrastructure

ICT4DChristophe Guéret (@cgueret)

ICT infrastructure in low resources settinghttp://bit.ly/ICT4D-Infrastructure

What to expect from this lecture

● Overview of low-resource infrastructures

● Introduction of some technological solutions

● Highlight of "do"s and "don't"s

Where? countries with low income

World Bank projects http://maps.worldbank.org/

Where ? schools, villages, ...

ICT here and there

● Same data needs and expectations but...○ Here: push technology, usage will follow○ There: spot usage and find matching technology

● Direct implications to keep in mind:1. The best infrastructure is not necessarily

the one with the highest specifications !2. Cloning what we enjoy here will most

probably not work there !

Technology enhanced communication

● Several elements are implied● Need to pay attention to all of them in their

context

Software

Computing device

Network

Software

Computing device

Embedding the users

Software

Computing device

Network

Software

Computing device

● Bring the ICT to the users, or the inverse

Two types of deployment

● Examples○ Community computer center (Video)○ Internet café○ "Computer room" in schools

● Advantages○ One installation impact many users○ Centralisation of infrastructural needs

● Disadvantages○ Concentration of valuable items○ Typically high installation costs○ Harder to embed into culture / habits

Bring the users to the ICT

● Examples○ "One Laptop per Child" initiative○ Smart phones and tablets

● Advantages○ "Personal" relationship with the device○ De-centralisation of resource usage

● Disadvantages○ One device per person○ Higher deployment costs

Bring the ICT to the users

What's best to do?

● Very much depending on the context○ Easy access to a central location?○ What kind of usage for the devices?

● It is possible to hybridise the approaches○ e.g.: use laptops and print in a cyber-café

● Also think of embedding other communication channels○ prints○ USB sticks○ ...

● In any case, remember that○ Devices will have to be serviced on spot○ Training individuals to operate something is costly○ Not everything is available everywhere○ Uptake will be better from involved communities

● Thus, to increase chances of success○ Source material locally as much as possible○ Source expertise locally as much as possible○ Ensure appropriation of what is deployed

● "Colonialism 2.0"

Use local expertise and materials

● Ship baby incubator to developing countries

● Big failure○ $40000 per unit○ Hard to find spare parts○ Closed design○ Need skilled staff

Example: baby incubator [1,2]

● Build baby incubator in, and for, developing countries

● NeoNurture○ $1000 per unit○ Car parts○ Open design○ Need staff able to repair

and use a car

Example: baby incubator [1,2]

Example: baby incubator [1,2]

● Failure○ Fragile○ Expensive○ Demanding○ Unfit software

Example: laptops for children

Example: laptops for children

● Goal: rack and charge several laptops

● What would you suggest ?

Example: charging station

Solution [3]: PVC● Inexpensive

and accessible

● Can be assembled by anyone

Example: charging station

One last word about local expertise

Two skilled technicians servicing their broken laptops

Electricity

Software

Computing device

Network

Software

Computing device

● Some of the things to power up○ Power supply○ CPUs and GPUs○ Screens / Lights○ Printing devices○ Storage devices○ Networking devices○ Cooling devices

● Get electricity from○ The grid (Solar, Wind, Nuclear, Tidal, ...)○ Local production (Solar, Fuel, ...)

Electricity consumption

● Varies a lot depending on the CPU class and internal architecture (Intel / ARM)

● Indicated through the TDP value

Consumption of a CPU

Server Desktop Netbook Smart phone

69 to 150 W 19 to 73 W 0.65 to 13 W 0.5 to 2 W

● Varies depending on the technology

Consumption of a Screen

0.4 to 1.7 W

http://pixelqi.com

● Essentially depends on the technology● Not having movable parts is better

Consumption of storage device

Using electricity from the grid

● Pluses○ Stable, and affordable,

source

● Minuses○ High throughput of

generation point○ Significant

infrastructure costs○ Electricity does not

travel well -> hard to connect remote areas

Local production

● Pluses○ Easy to deploy

● Minuses○ Less stable than grid○ High initial costs

More about solar power

http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/technology/solar-power/

● Estimated 1000W per m2

● Actual up to 200W per m2

● Better bet on less in practice

Network

Software

Computing device

Network

Software

Computing device

● In theory, like the post : wrap the message and send it to the address of B

● In practice this is not so simple○ First,find the address of B○ Then, send the message through a relay of

machines and connections

● Let's see what happen when "univ-tours.fr" is typped in a Web browser ...

Sending a message from A to B

● This has to be translated into "193.52.209.12", the actual address of the machine

● Use the DNS system to do that○ Ask the root server ".fr" for the address of "univ-

tours"○ Ask "univ-tours" for its default host address

● Such names are called TLD and have to be paid for (roughly 15 euros per year)

Find the address of "univ-tours.fr"

● The Web browser sends a request for "index.html" to the port 80

● Goal: send the request from a machine in the Netherlands to another (probably) in France

● See what actually happens with the tools "tcptraceroute" and "traceroute"

Ask for the Web index page

● The Web browser sends a request for "index.html" to the port 80

●

What happens in practice...

● Internet is a network of networks● Several routes can connect two devices● Traffic is agglomerated on several levels● ISPs exist for each level

Why ?

Going around the continents

http://www.submarinecablemap.com/

and connecting cities

http://www.lilobzh.com/free/article-degroupage.php#idf

Why does it matter in ICT4D ?

● Let two farmers in Mali send a mail to each other implies a couple of regional servers

● If they want to use GMail, a backbone connection to the US' west coast will also be involved !

● Consequences○ Web-based social networking can hardly be local○ The costs for the end user is likely to be high○ ( Cloud computing is incompatible with ICT4D )

Good news! transit prices are falling

http://www.telegeography.com/research-services/global-internet-geography/index.html

Ok, so what can be done ?

● Research on Downscaling the Semantic Web will bring data sharing to everyone, regardless of Internet connectivity○ https://worldwidesemanticweb.wordpress.com/

● Creating mesh networks is a first step into connecting devices

Mesh VS Infrastructure network

How to choose

● Reasons to prefer a mesh network○ More robust○ Faster to deploy○ Example: Sensors network

● Reasons to prefer an infrastructure network○ Better for the quality of service○ Shared installation costs○ Example: Universities' WiFi

● It is also possible to combine the two

Connecting remote areas

● Long wires○ Use optic fiber and/or copper wires

● Long range Wireless○ Use WiFi technology (IEEE 802.11b) to connect

relays over long distance○ Network technologies 2G (GSM), 3G (WCDMA,

EDGE) and 4G (LTE, WiMax) are licenced

● Sneaker net○ Use removable media to move information among

storage devices

India's rural network

http://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/users/braman/dgp.html

Island of "Nosy Komba"

http://www.olpcnews.com/hardware/wireless/olpc_frances_long_distance_wi-.html

What's up with USB sticks then?

Throughput

Latency

Hybrid solution

http://www.firstmilesolutions.com/documents/DakNet_IEEE_Computer.pdf

Computing devices

Software

Computing device

Network

Software

Computing device

● Keep in mind three things○ The context of usage (dust, humidity, sunlight, ...)○ The target users○ The target use-cases○ The resources needed

● The computer you have at home is most probably not the one you would use in a developing country

● There exist some optimized hardware

What to pick?

The Classmate from Intel

● Rugged● Touch screen● Handle● Speakers● Microphone● Camera

The XO-1.75 and XO-4 from OLPC

● Use a couple of Watts● User-defined sensors● Accelerometer● Light sensor● Camera● Rugged● Speakers● No movable part● Microphone

SheevaPlug from GlobalScale

● ARM based CPU● Ethernet, WiFi● Solid state memory● USB ports

● Here used as an e-book server

T1 from Aleutia

● Sealed and fanless● Operate under 45oC● Atom processor● SSD disk

A note on thin clients

● Thin client = very lightweight PC that outsources all the computing to a bigger one

● Was among the first model of computing (e.g. IBM's AS/400). Still popular in classrooms settings thanks to its advantages

● Getting a new life with the increase of Cloud computing (c.f. Google's ChromeBook)

Software

Software

Computing device

Network

Software

Computing device

Total cost of ownership (TCO)

● Total cost of acquisition and operation● Computed over the expected operation time

Example: TCO of a car = car + parking place + fuel + insurance + driving license + ...

For ICT: hardware + software + skilled staff + infrastructure (electricity, network) + ...

TCO surprises

● Standalone data storage solution (NAS) is often less expensive than a PC with software RAID

● Inkjet printers can be more expensive than laser printers

Things to keep in mind

● Think of the TCO when picking up software○ Maintenance/Development is costly○ Things that don't work now will be left aside

■ Remember the target users are not geeks!

● See how fit the software exactly is○ Are vocal interfaces needed?

● Consider to which extent users can appropriate and customise the software

Suggestions

● Prefer affordable and supported software○ Individuals have few money but don't mind spending

it on things that matters

● Prefer open source software○ Highest level of appropriation level

● Prefer software using open standards○ If the software changes, the data can still be used

Sugar learning environment

To summarise ...

● See what is already working and think how ICT can be improve part of communication

● Think of all the side things○ cost, environmental conditions, ...

● Design carefully your use-cases

● Employ appropriate hardware and software

When you consider ICT in low resources setting