The 31st Installment
“Effort for research”

by Kazuya Odagiri,
Assistant Professor, Masters Program of Information Systems Architecture

Effort for research

Although most of the students in the Information Systems Architecture Program at the Advanced Institute of Industrial Technology have jobs, I am very surprised that many students are highly motivated. I worked full time while studying for my doctoral degree, so I really understand how hard it is to both work and study. I would like to show all possible consideration to you for my class.

I research network management, which is close to practical business activities. Before I became a teacher, I had a job related to computer systems. My research is based on questions from that time. My research area is called policy based network management (PBNM). PBNM manages networks somewhat flexibly to meet the network policies and security policies of an organization. The management method is appropriate for locations with many people, such as universities. The method can limit or change the available services for each person depending on where a client PC is connected. I research new methods for this PBNM.

Information system related sections in companies or universities build information and network systems and are highly likely to perform management and operation activities. However, these management and operation activities are less noticeable than the introduction of new systems. I also had difficulty in maintaining motivation in these tasks. The expenses for the operation and management of a system occupies a remarkable proportion of the entire investment related to information in an organization but it does not draw much attention, so the person in charge tends to be in a dilemma. It is natural for a person to want to spend as little effort as possible on less rewarding tasks and to spend time and effort on other tasks. Generally, a person is more likely to be in such a dilemma for the tasks that are less visible to users. Because the network is often regarded as something that is always available, which is the same as the infrastructure for water service and electricity, I have always wondered how we can manage networks more efficiently. My experience motivates my current research. IT-related fields of research are diverse, and fundamental research is very important. However, I think that IT should be used in order to deliver convenience to users, so I want to do my research from this viewpoint.