TRUSTCACHE: Trust-based Content Caching in Information-Centric Networks

The Information-Centric Networking (ICN) paradigm has reshaped the modern network architectures and promises efficient content delivery to the end-users. This paper introduces TRUSTCACHE, a novel framework enabling the content caching within ICNs and focusing on the trust-based ICN selection and optimal cache memory allocation to the Content Providers (CPs). The TRUSTCACHE framework incorporates the Optimistic Q-learning with Upper Confidence Bound reinforcement learning algorithm that enables the CPs to autonomously select ICNs based on their cache memory availability and trust levels. Also, TRUSTCACHE enables the CPs to jointly consider the reliability of the ICNs and their cache memory availability by integrating a novel trust model. Furthermore, TRUSTCACHE leverages the multilateral bargaining principles in order to ensure the optimal cache memory allocation among the CPs, in terms of aligning with their profit margin characteristics. Simulation-based experiments validate TRUSTCACHE's operational efficiency across diverse CP profit margin profiles and highlight its superiority over alternative models lacking trust-based ICN selection or employing proportional fairness strategies for cache memory allocation.