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Network users not only demand new and versatile application support by the networks but they themselves are becoming part of the network (network routers, caches, processors, etc) by contributing their resources to it and being engaged in ad hoc networking structures. As the large and diverse user population becomes more and more part of the networking infrastructure it is clear that networks will be dominated by a new type of network nodes which are much more nomadic, diverse and autonomic than in traditional networks, creating a fairly diverse – in size and characteristics – networking environment. For instance, low cost/high availability/convenience of wireless devices are expected to lead to the deployment of a plethora of wireless networks for diverse applications: from rescue missions to military communications, from collaborative computing and sensor networks to web browsing and e-mail …