Community-centred network management for community wireless networks (CWNs)

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dc.contributor.advisorDensmore, Melissa
dc.contributor.authorIitumba, Ndinelao
dc.date.accessioned2025-02-12T13:35:47Z
dc.date.available2025-02-12T13:35:47Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.date.updated2025-02-12T13:30:24Z
dc.description.abstractCommunity wireless networks (CWNs) have emerged as a viable solution for addressing connectivity challenges in remote areas by fostering resource shar ing and local infrastructure management. The complexity of technical network management hinders the sustainability of CWNs, despite their significance in connecting underserved communities. Advancements in deployment have not fully addressed the ongoing reliance on external expertise for maintenance, pos ing a significant challenge. Training, while a potential solution, proves costly and faces difficulties in ensuring long-term self-sufficiency among community members. This dissertation aims to contribute to the sustainability of CWNs by identifying the challenges faced by local network operators and simplifying the technical network management process. Drawing from the literature on In formation and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D), which emphasises designing with and for communities, an investigation into CWN management interfaces was conducted. This research employed a community co-design approach, focusing on CWNs in South Africa and India, to identify the challenges and needs of community wireless network local operators. Uti lizing contextual inquiry, semi-structured interviews, co-design workshops, and observations, qualitative data on the current challenges faced by CWN man agement tools was gathered. Through workshops and prototyping sessions with stakeholders in India and South Africa, network operators and users were en gaged to reimagine and co-design Network Management Interfaces (NMIs) that empower local network operators to monitor and manage their networks effec tively, thereby reducing dependency on external support. Findings highlight diverse network management approaches, revealing difficulties in technical ca pacity building, troubleshooting, and prototyping. Designing NMIs with local network operators' insights and skills is crucial for CWN sustainability. This dissertation outlines design opportunities to improve network management in terfaces for CWNs, fostering network resilience for critical infrastructures.
dc.identifier.apacitationIitumba, N. (2024). <i>Community-centred network management for community wireless networks (CWNs)</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Computer Science. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40938en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationIitumba, Ndinelao. <i>"Community-centred network management for community wireless networks (CWNs)."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Computer Science, 2024. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40938en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationIitumba, N. 2024. Community-centred network management for community wireless networks (CWNs). . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Computer Science. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40938en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Iitumba, Ndinelao AB - Community wireless networks (CWNs) have emerged as a viable solution for addressing connectivity challenges in remote areas by fostering resource shar ing and local infrastructure management. The complexity of technical network management hinders the sustainability of CWNs, despite their significance in connecting underserved communities. Advancements in deployment have not fully addressed the ongoing reliance on external expertise for maintenance, pos ing a significant challenge. Training, while a potential solution, proves costly and faces difficulties in ensuring long-term self-sufficiency among community members. This dissertation aims to contribute to the sustainability of CWNs by identifying the challenges faced by local network operators and simplifying the technical network management process. Drawing from the literature on In formation and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D), which emphasises designing with and for communities, an investigation into CWN management interfaces was conducted. This research employed a community co-design approach, focusing on CWNs in South Africa and India, to identify the challenges and needs of community wireless network local operators. Uti lizing contextual inquiry, semi-structured interviews, co-design workshops, and observations, qualitative data on the current challenges faced by CWN man agement tools was gathered. Through workshops and prototyping sessions with stakeholders in India and South Africa, network operators and users were en gaged to reimagine and co-design Network Management Interfaces (NMIs) that empower local network operators to monitor and manage their networks effec tively, thereby reducing dependency on external support. Findings highlight diverse network management approaches, revealing difficulties in technical ca pacity building, troubleshooting, and prototyping. Designing NMIs with local network operators' insights and skills is crucial for CWN sustainability. This dissertation outlines design opportunities to improve network management in terfaces for CWNs, fostering network resilience for critical infrastructures. DA - 2024 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Community-Centred Network Management KW - Community Wireless Networks KW - CWNs LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2024 T1 - Community-centred network management for community wireless networks (CWNs) TI - Community-centred network management for community wireless networks (CWNs) UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40938 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/40938
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationIitumba N. Community-centred network management for community wireless networks (CWNs). []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Computer Science, 2024 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40938en_ZA
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Computer Science
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Science
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subjectCommunity-Centred Network Management
dc.subjectCommunity Wireless Networks
dc.subjectCWNs
dc.titleCommunity-centred network management for community wireless networks (CWNs)
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMSc
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