ICN Challenges for Metaverse Platform Interoperability
draft-hong-icn-metaverse-interoperability-00

ICN Research Group                                               J. Hong
Internet-Draft                                                      ETRI
Intended status: Informational                           21 October 2024
Expires: 24 April 2025

         ICN Challenges for Metaverse Platform Interoperability
              draft-hong-icn-metaverse-interoperability-00

Abstract

   This document explores the potential of Information-Centric
   Networking (ICN) to enhance interoperability between metaverse
   platforms.  ICN's content-centric approach, in-network caching, and
   inherent security features can address key challenges such as
   scalability, low-latency performance, data ownership, and
   standardization needs.  It also identifies these challenges and
   proposes solutions to optimize data sharing, enable efficient content
   distribution, and enforce secure access controls.

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Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2024 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.

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Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   2.  Metaverse Platform Interoperability . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   3.  Service Scenarios of Metaverse Platform Interoperability  . .   3
   4.  ICN for Metaverse Platform Interoperability . . . . . . . . .   4
   5.  ICN Challenges for Metaverse Platform Interoperability  . . .   5
     5.1.  Scalability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
     5.2.  Latency and Real-Time Interaction . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
     5.3.  Security and Privacy  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
     5.4.  Data Ownership and Rights Management  . . . . . . . . . .   6
     5.5.  Interoperability Standards  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
   6.  Proposed Solutions for ICN in Metaverse Platform
           Interoperability  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
   7.  IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
   8.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
   9.  References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
     9.1.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
     9.2.  Informative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   Acknowledgements  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   Author's Address  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8

1.  Introduction

   The metaverse represents the next evolution of the internet, blending
   virtual and physical worlds to enable rich, interactive experiences
   across various platforms.  A critical challenge is achieving
   interoperability among various metaverse platforms to ensure seamless
   user interactions, asset transfers, and content sharing.

   Information-Centric Networking (ICN) offers a promising alternative
   to traditional server-based architectures by focusing on content
   delivery rather than host-based communication.  ICN's native support
   for efficient data retrieval, caching, and security could address
   many of the challenges in enabling metaverse platform
   interoperability.

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   This document identifies key challenges for ICN in supporting
   interoperability between metaverse platforms and suggests potential
   solutions to overcome these issues.

2.  Metaverse Platform Interoperability

   The metaverse cross-platform interoperability refers to different
   metaverse platforms' ability to interact seamlessly, allowing users
   to access content, assets, and experiences across multiple virtual
   worlds.  This interoperability is achieved through the use of open
   standards and protocols that enable communication and data exchange
   between different metaverse platforms.

   Interoperability is important in the development of the metaverse
   because it allows for greater creativity and innovation by enabling
   developers to create and share content across different platforms.
   It also allows users to have a more seamless and cohesive experience,
   as they can move between different virtual worlds without creating
   new accounts or starting from scratch.

   The need for metaverse cross-platform interoperability arises from
   the fact that there are multiple metaverse platforms being developed
   by different companies, each with its own set of rules, protocols,
   and assets.  This can create a fragmented metaverse ecosystem, making
   it difficult for users to move between different virtual worlds and
   for developers to create cross-platform applications.

3.  Service Scenarios of Metaverse Platform Interoperability

   This section describes several considerable service scenarios
   realized by interoperable metaverse platforms.

   *  Cross-platform metaverse exhibition: A cross-platform metaverse
      exhibition provides immersive knowledge that spans multiple
      metaverse platforms, offering visitors an immersive and
      enlightening journey.  Leveraging advanced technologies, including
      augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), attendees can
      traverse a range of exhibits, interactive installations, and
      curated digital content.  This innovative approach presents a
      novel way for individuals to immerse themselves in various
      thematic showcases, irrespective of their physical location.

   *  Cross-platform metaverse shopping: In a cross-platform metaverse
      shopping, users can seamlessly buy, sell, and trade digital assets
      and/or content across platforms.  This interconnected ecosystem
      allows for broader opportunities and increased versatility in
      virtual transactions.

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   *  Cross-platform metaverse co-working: Metaverse co-working entails
      leveraging metaverse technology to provide virtual co-working
      services, thereby offering an online work environment while
      maintaining the offline work environment and eliminating spatial
      limitations.  In other words, it is beyond the typical online work
      environment of remote work and creates a virtual co-working
      environment.  Users can access the metaverse co-working offices
      through the metaverse platform and animate their avatars to walk
      into a co-working office, work in a conference room, give a
      presentation, and so on.  This makes it possible for people to co-
      work from anywhere, anytime, even if they are in different
      physical spaces, through the medium of the metaverse.

4.  ICN for Metaverse Platform Interoperability

   Information-Centric Networking (ICN) offers several key strengths
   that make it a promising solution for achieving seamless
   interoperability between diverse metaverse platforms.  These
   strengths address critical requirements for efficient, scalable, and
   secure data sharing in highly interactive virtual environments:

   *  Content-Centric Communication: ICN fundamentally shifts the
      network paradigm from host-centric to content-centric
      communication.  In a metaverse, where content (such as 3D objects,
      avatars, and media) needs to be easily and quickly accessed
      regardless of its origin, ICN's naming-based approach allows users
      to retrieve data directly by its name instead of relying on server
      locations.  This content-centric model simplifies data sharing
      across platforms, enhancing interoperability without relying on
      centralized infrastructure.

   *  Efficient In-Network Caching: One of ICN's primary features is in-
      network caching, where frequently accessed data can be stored at
      intermediate nodes closer to users.  This reduces latency and
      minimizes server load, which is crucial for metaverse platforms
      that involve real-time interactions and require instant access to
      virtual assets.  ICN's caching capabilities improve data delivery
      performance, particularly when many users in different metaverse
      platforms access the same content.

   *  Seamless Multicast and Broadcast Capabilities: ICN's inherent
      support for multicast and broadcast communication is highly
      beneficial in the metaverse.  For example, when multiple users
      interact with the same virtual environment or event, ICN enables
      the efficient distribution of content to all users simultaneously.
      This eliminates the need for multiple unicast streams, reducing
      network congestion and ensuring consistency in shared experiences.

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   *  Security and Data Integrity: In a decentralized and interactive
      metaverse, security is paramount.  ICN provides security at the
      content level, meaning that each piece of data is independently
      secured, regardless of its storage or transmission path.  This
      ensures that sensitive information and virtual assets are
      protected as they move between platforms, making ICN well-suited
      for securing cross-platform interactions and transactions.

   *  Dynamic and Flexible Data Naming: ICN's use of Named Data Objects
      (NDOs) allows for flexible and dynamic naming of virtual content.
      In a metaverse setting, this enables granular control over virtual
      objects, allowing developers to define specific names and
      properties for each asset.  This flexibility supports complex data
      interactions and ownership management, which is essential for the
      interoperability of digital assets across platforms.

   *  Scalability and Resilience: Metaverse platforms involve millions
      of simultaneous users and interactions, creating challenges for
      traditional host-based networks.  ICN's architecture, which
      focuses on distributing data rather than establishing host-based
      connections, scales more effectively as the number of users and
      devices increases.  Its distributed nature also enhances
      resilience, allowing metaverse platforms to continue operating
      efficiently even under high loads or partial network failures.

   *  Decoupling Content from Location: ICN's approach to decoupling
      content from its storage location provides flexibility in how data
      is stored, shared, and retrieved.  In a metaverse, this decoupling
      allows different platforms to store and retrieve virtual assets
      without dependency on a single central server, improving the
      availability and accessibility of content across various virtual
      worlds.

5.  ICN Challenges for Metaverse Platform Interoperability

   This section outlines ICN's critical challenges in enabling
   interoperability between metaverse platforms.  Each challenge
   considers the metaverse's unique requirements and how ICN must adapt
   to meet those demands.

5.1.  Scalability

   The metaverse involves interactions between millions of users
   simultaneously, often in real time.  ICN must handle large-scale
   content distribution without introducing bottlenecks or network
   congestion.

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   Managing the simultaneous request and distribution of content at
   scale in dynamic metaverse environments presents a significant
   challenge for ICN.

5.2.  Latency and Real-Time Interaction

   Low-latency performance is a fundamental requirement in metaverse
   applications, where real-time interactions are critical for user
   experience.

   While ICN's local caching and content routing reduce data retrieval
   time, maintaining sub-millisecond latencies for real-time
   interactions, such as avatar movement and voice communication,
   remains a challenge.

5.3.  Security and Privacy

   Metaverse platforms require stringent security and privacy measures
   to protect user data, digital assets, and interactions.  ICN's model
   of distributing content over a network introduces concerns about
   unauthorized access and data integrity.

   ICN needs to implement robust encryption mechanisms, access control
   policies, and privacy-preserving protocols to ensure that sensitive
   information remains secure.

5.4.  Data Ownership and Rights Management

   In the metaverse, digital objects often have complex ownership
   structures, with different levels of access rights and permissions.
   ICN must support dynamic and granular rights management, ensuring
   proper handling of ownership and usage rights across platforms.

   Managing metadata for digital objects in the metaverse, including
   tracking ownership, usage, and modification rights, adds complexity
   to the ICN model.

5.5.  Interoperability Standards

   For true interoperability, there must be a standardized approach to
   naming, data formats, and APIs that enable different metaverse
   platforms to communicate effectively.

   Managing metadata for digital objects in the metaverse, including
   tracking ownership, usage, and modification rights, adds complexity
   to the ICN model.

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6.  Proposed Solutions for ICN in Metaverse Platform Interoperability

   *  Adaptive Caching Strategies: Propose methods to optimize ICN's
      caching mechanisms for the high-volume, dynamic nature of
      metaverse traffic.  These strategies should aim to minimize
      latency while ensuring that relevant content is cached close to
      users.

   *  Leveraging Multicast and Broadcast: ICN's inherent support for
      multicast can be used to efficiently distribute content to
      multiple users in shared virtual spaces.  Propose optimizations
      for using multicast in real-time, interactive environments like
      the metaverse.

   *  Enhanced Security Layers: Recommend implementing advanced
      encryption techniques, user authentication protocols, and access
      control mechanisms to safeguard the decentralized nature of ICN in
      metaverse applications.

   *  Rights Management via Named Data Objects: Explore ways to enhance
      ICN's Named Data Objects (NDOs) to support complex ownership,
      access control, and rights management for digital assets in the
      metaverse.

   *  Standardizing Interoperability: Suggest developing a set of
      standardized naming schemes, APIs, and content formats within ICN
      to facilitate interoperability across diverse metaverse platforms.
      Collaborating with existing metaverse standards bodies will be
      critical.

7.  IANA Considerations

   There are no IANA actions required by this document.

8.  Security Considerations

   [TBD]

9.  References

9.1.  Normative References

   [RFC2119]  Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
              Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC2119, March 1997,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2119>.

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   [RFC7927]  Kutscher, D., Ed., Eum, S., Pentikousis, K., Psaras, I.,
              Corujo, D., Saucez, D., Schmidt, T., and M. Waehlisch,
              "Information-Centric Networking (ICN) Research
              Challenges", RFC 7927, DOI 10.17487/RFC7927, July 2016,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc7927>.

9.2.  Informative References

   [FGMV-19]  "ITU FGMV-19: Service scenarios and high-level
              requirements for metaverse cross-platform
              interoperability", December 2023.

   [aw-MV-icn]
              Westphal, C. and H. Asaeda, "Metaverse and ICN: Challenges
              and Use Cases", https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-aw-
              metaverse-icn-01.txt , October 2023.

   [IC-MV]    Fioccola, G. et al., G., "Information-Centric Metaverse",
              https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-fmbk-icnrg-
              metaverse-01.txt , July 2023.

   [Dirk]     Kutscher, D. et al., D., "Statement: The Metaverse as an
              Information-Centric Network",
              https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3623565.3623761 , October
              2023.

Acknowledgements

   [TBD]

Author's Address

   Jungha Hong
   ETRI
   218 Gajeong-ro, Yuseung-Gu
   Daejeon
   Email: jhong@etri.re.kr

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