## CoNEXT 2023 Call for Papers

The CoNEXT 2023 conference seeks papers presenting significant and novel research results on emerging computer networks and its applications. We especially encourage submissions that present novel experimentation, creative use of networking technologies, and new insights made possible using analysis. We invite submissions on a wide range of networking topics. The list of topics includes (in alphabetical order):

- Content distribution and caching, e.g., CDN, peer-to-peer, overlays
- Design, analysis, and evaluation of network architectures
- Energy-efficient computing and networking
- Experience and lessons learned by deploying large-scale networked systems
- In-network computing, NFV and network programmability
- Innovative uses of network data beyond communication
- Network measurement and modeling
- Internet economics and policy
- Mobile and wireless network protocols and applications
- Machine learning as applied to all layers of networking
- Networked applications including web, video, and online social networks
- Network aspects of datacenters, cloud computing, operating systems, virtualization
- Network aspects of IoT
- Network control and management, including SDN
- Network, transport, and application-layer protocols
- Reliability and availability of networks, protocols, and applications
- Reproducibility of networking research
- Routing and traffic engineering
- Security and privacy aspects of network applications and protocols

We are open to other contributions that stretch networking research outside of these topics, present new emerging computing trends, or potentially involve unfamiliar techniques. We ask authors to bear in mind that the main factor of interest in their work will be the implications of their results in networking. As such CoNEXT is, e.g., not looking for papers addressing only the physical layer. Potential authors who are unsure of the scope are encouraged to contact the PC chairs before submission.

NEW

The conference presents papers that have been accepted to appear in the Proceedings of the ACM on Networking (PACMNET). There are two deadlines to submit your work in time for a presentation at the conference (see below).

### Submission (UPDATED on May 28th, 2023)

CoNEXT welcomes the submission of both long and short papers. All the submissions should be double-blind (more instructions below) and will be peer-reviewed. Per the anonymity guidelines, you must remove any author names.

Long papers the more traditional form to present technical work. Submissions and should be no more than 16 pages, with unlimited pages for references and up to four pages for appendices. Authors shall use a single column, 10pt, ACM small template for articles following the `acmsmall` template (more details here). Upon acceptance, authors may be given up to two extra pages to address comments and requirements received during the review process. Long papers will be scheduled for publication in the closest issue of the Proceedings of the ACM on Networking (PACMNET).

Short papers are the preferred vehicle for contributions whose novelty and impact show the same technical excellence, but whose description fits within 6 pages (one additional page for appendices and unlimited pages for references). Short paper shall use the 2-columns, 10pt ACM format used for conferences following the `sigconf` template (more details here).

Short papers will be reviewed with a more open mind towards the scope of evaluation or breadth of topics compared to long papers. Note that position papers, critiques of networking research, and ideas that are not yet fully complete or evaluated are a better fit for the HotNets workshop. Short papers will only appear in the Proceedings of the CoNEXT conference.

Submission portal for both types of paper: https://conext23.hotcrp.com

For more details, please check the Submission instructions page.

### One-shot major revision

Each paper may be accepted, rejected, or given the option of one-shot “major” revision.

The one-shot revision decision will be followed by a summary of the paper's merits and a list of minimum necessary changes that are required for the paper to be accepted at CoNEXT 2023. The authors will be given a deadline (about two months) to submit a version of their work addressing the issues. The paper will then be subject to the final decision of accept or reject, at which point, the paper will be reviewed to judge whether it addresses the requirements requested, to the extent possible, by the same reviewers as earlier. The reviewers will primarily judge the paper based on whether it has successfully addressed the requirements detailed in the document accompanied by the notification, but will factor in the independent merit of the revision. During this review period, the paper is still considered under review to CoNEXT and therefore cannot be submitted to other conferences or journals unless the authors first withdraw it from consideration.

The one-shot revision option will be given to a select number of papers. Reviewers will be instructed to not offer a one-shot-revision option if they cannot determine that the paper sufficiently meets the bar after successfully addressing the required/proposed changes.

Papers accepted following the one-shot major revision will be included in the program and proceedings of CoNEXT 2023 just as the papers that are accepted without a major revision.

Authors given a one-shot-revision decision will be sent detailed instructions on how to proceed with the major revision. These instructions will include the list of minimum necessary changes required by the PC for the paper to be accepted. Authors receiving a one-shot-revision decision must either respond with a plan for the revision or an intent to withdraw the paper within the deadline (a week after the instructions are sent).

By the revision deadline, the authors must submit the followings:

- A revised version of the paper
- A cover letter explaining the differences between the original submission and the revised version
- An additional version of the paper in which revision changes since the first submission are clearly marked

Note that papers that have been rejected at any stage of the process may not be resubmitted to any ACM CoNEXT deadline within 12 months following the initial submission of the paper.

### Early Reject Notification

The review process will consist of multiple rounds of scrutiny. In order to allow authors to submit an improved version of work to other venues, authors of submissions for which there is a consensus on rejection will be notified earlier.

### Research Reproducibility

We value submissions that are accompanied by clearly defined artifacts not previously available, including traces, original data, source code, or tools developed as part of the submitted work. CoNEXT 2023 reproducibility committee is responsible to award accepted papers ACM reproducibility badges (for details visit: https://www.acm.org/publications/policies/artifact-review-badging).

For accepted papers to be eligible for ACM badging, the authors (1) must opt-in for ACM badging before the paper submission deadline, and (2) send one page to the reproducibility committee that clearly describes the artifacts and provide pointers to the code and other artifacts, within a week after the notification of acceptance. Artifact pointers and description must be included at camera ready.

### Double-blind requirements

All submitted papers will be assessed through a double-blind review process. This means that the authors do not see who are the reviewers and the reviewers do not see who are the authors. As an author, you should do your best to ensure that your paper submission does not directly or indirectly reveal the authors’ identities. The following steps are minimal requirements for a double-blind submission:

- Remove all personal information about the authors from the paper (e.g., names, affiliations)
- Remove acknowledgements to organizations and/or people
- When referring in the paper to your previous work, this should be done similarly to any other work, as if you are not an author of that work.
- Do not add references to external repositories or technical reports that can be used to identify any of the authors or institutions/organizations. You are encouraged to mention that your code will be made available during your submission.
- Uploading a version of the paper to a non-peer-reviewer location is acceptable. The authors should however avoid advertising the paper on popular mailing lists and social media.

At the same time, PC members should not actively try to de-anonymize the authors’ identities. Any violation of the double-blind reviewing process should be reported to the PC chairs.

### Ethical concerns

All papers must include a statement or subsection about ethical issues raised by the work. In limited cases this could simply be a sentence disclaiming ethical issues, but work involving human subjects or potentially sensitive data (e.g., user traffic, social network information, censorship evasion) must clearly discuss the relevant issues. Papers that do not include an ethics statement may be rejected.

Papers must follow basic precepts of ethical research and subscribe to community norms. Works must also show respect for norms around privacy, secure storage of sensitive data, voluntary and informed consent for human subjects and users who might be placed at risk, avoiding deceptive practices when not essential, beneficence (maximizing the benefits to an individual or to society while minimizing potential harm to an individual), and risk mitigation. Authors may want to consult the Menlo Report and the ACM ethics policy for further information on ethical principles, and they may find the Allman/Paxson paper in IMC 2007 helpful for a perspective on ethical data sharing. Authors should also consult ACM Publications Policies, especially those around Authors; Plagiarism, Misrepresentation, and Falsification; Research Involving Human Subjects; Prior Publication and Simultaneous Submissions; and Coercion and Abuse.

Many organizations have an ethics review process, sometimes called an Institutional Review Board (IRB), and in many projects, IRB involvement is appropriate. IRB approval of research is an important factor and should be mentioned, but the program committee will independently evaluate the ethical soundness of the work just as they evaluate its technical soundness.

The Program Committee takes a broad view of what constitutes an ethical concern, and the PC chairs may reach out to authors during the review process if questions arise.

### Paper Submission

There are two submission opportunities over the course of the year:

#### November submission:

- Paper Submission: Wednesday, November 30, 2022 (11:59PM) (hard deadline, no extensions will be given)
- Early reject notification: February 28, 2023
- Notification of Acceptance: March 31, 2023
- Camera Ready for accepted papers: April 30, 2023
- Publication of accepted papers: June 2023 issue of PACMNET
- For papers given the one-shot major revision option
  - Major revision due: May 30 2023
  - Final decision: June 15, 2023
  - Camera Ready for accepted papers: July 15th 2023
  - Publication of accepted papers: September 2023 issue of PACMNET

#### June submission:

- Paper Submission: June 27th, 2023
- Early reject notification: August 11th, 2023
- Notification of Acceptance: mid September 2023
- Camera Ready for accepted papers: October 25, 2023
- Publication of accepted papers: December 2023 issue of PACMNET
- For papers given the one-shot major revision option
  - Major revision due: December 15 2023
  - Final decision: January 15 2024
  - Camera Ready for accepted papers: February 1 2024
  - Publication of accepted papers: March 2024 issue of PACMNET

Deadline times are at 24:00 Anywhere on Earth (AoE).

Papers may be submitted to any deadline. Upon acceptance long papers will be scheduled for publication in the closest issue of the Proceedings of the ACM on Networking (CoNEXT)” (PACMNET). Short papers will appear in the Proceedings of the CoNEXT conference. Accepted papers will be presented at the ACM CoNEXT 2023 conference in fall 2023. The journal publication of accepted long papers will appear in the issue of PACMNET immediately following acceptance – see the PACMNET author’ guidelines for details.

Conference: 5-8 December, 2023