Andrzej Beben

Content Aware Network Based on Virtual Infrastructure

This paper presents the Content Aware Network designed as one of the Parallel Internets developed on Virtual Infrastructure. The CAN is a post-IP network designed to facilitate access to multimedia content in large scale environment. We introduce the proposed CAN network architecture and discuss mechanisms and algorithms required to assure ubiquitous content access and efficient content delivery. In particular, we propose new content naming and resolution schemes, an effective content source selection algorithm, which optimize resource utilization and the flexible content delivery method. Moreover, we present developed prototype and numerical results illustrating effectiveness of proposed CAN delivery method.

Curling: Content-ubiquitous resolution and delivery infrastructure for next-generation services

CURLING, a Content-Ubiquitous Resolution and Delivery Infrastructure for Next Generation Services, aims to enable a future content-centric Internet that will overcome the current intrinsic constraints by efficiently diffusing media content of massive scale. It entails a holistic approach, supporting content manipulation capabilities that encompass the entire content life cycle, from content publication to content resolution and, finally, to content delivery. CURLING provides to both content providers and customers high flexibility in expressing their location preferences when publishing and requesting content, respectively, thanks to the proposed scoping and filtering functions. Content manipulation operations can be driven by a variety of factors, including business relationships between ISPs, local ISP policies, and specific content provider and customer preferences. Content resolution is also natively coupled with optimized content routing techniques that enable efficient unicast and multicast- based content delivery across the global Internet.

EuQoS: End-to-End Quality of Service over Heterogeneous Networks

The EuQoS (End-to-End QoS over Heterogeneous Networks) IST Integrated European Project aimed to define a Next Generation Network architecture that builds, uses and manages end-to-end QoS across different administrative domains and heterogeneous networks (UMTS, xDSL, Ethernet, WiFi, Satellite and IP/ MPLS). The EuQoS architecture preserves the openness and the decentralized decision model of the actual Internet, runs on off-the-shelf hardware and network equipment, and allows end users to request various services without changing the Application Signaling protocol, while meeting regulators’ and users’ Net Neutrality requirements. This paper presents the key elements of the EuQoS architecture and describes the main results obtained in field trials performed on a fully-functional EuQoS system prototype developed over a pan-European testbed. Furthermore, the paper discusses the main strengths of the system and the issues related to its actually deployment on a large scale, from both technical and market points

Provision of end-to-end QoS in heterogeneous multi-domain networks

In this paper, we present the framework to provision end-to-end QoS in heterogeneous multi-domain networks that was implemented in EuQoS system and tested in Pan-European research network. It assumes that a pair of end users, possibly attached to different access networks as xDSL, UMTS, LAN/Ethernet, WiFi, MPLS or Satellite, may choose for its connection an appropriate end-to-end Class of Service, depending on the application they use, e.g. VoIP, VoD, FTP, etc. Each end-to-end Class of Service has its own traffic control mechanisms and algorithms and, as a result, it has the ability to handle traffic streams with assumed guarantees for packet transfer characteristics expressed in the form of loss ratio, mean delay and delay variation. The end-to-end Classes of Service are supported in all the domains (including inter-domain links) independently using specialised inter-domain Class of Service-aware QoS routing protocol which establishes the end-to-end QoS paths. This paper describes the solution and includes exemplary simulation and experimental results.

EQ-BGP: an efficient inter-domain QoS routing protocol

In this paper we propose the Enhanced QoS Border Gateway Protocol (EQ-BGP) aimed at performing the inter-domain QoS routing in a multi-domain IP network. The objective of EQ-BGP is to establish end-to-end paths that offer the most suitable QoS guarantees taking into account both the QoS capabilities of particular domains as well as inter-domain links. Thanks to this, the EQ-BGP supports providing of end-to-end QoS, what cannot be achieved with the aid of currently used BGP-4 protocol. Therefore, we enhance the existing BGP-4 protocol with four QoS components that are: (1) new path attribute conveying information about QoS capabilities of the path, (2) the QoS aggregation function used to calculate the paths QoS capabilities based on contributions of particular domains and inter-domain links, (3) the QoS aware decision algorithm that allows us to select the best path fulfilling the QoS requirements, and (4) multiple routing tables that allow border routers to keep separate paths that are optimised for different QoS objectives. In the paper we provide description of the proposed EQ-BGP protocol and then we focus on performance evaluation corresponding to network convergence and protocol scalability. The obtained results say that EQ-BGP gives stable routing and its performance is at similar level as the BGP-4 protocol.

ABMA+: lightweight and efficient algorithm for HTTP adaptive streaming

Currently exploited adaptive video streaming algorithms mainly focus on maximizing video representation while they usually not assess the risk of video freezing and not care about the influence of video representation switching. We propose a new Adaptation & Buffer Management Algorithm, called ABMA+, which selects video representation based on the predicted probability of video freezing. The algorithm continuously estimates segment download time characteristics and use the pre-computed playout buffer map to select the maximum video representation which guarantee smooth content playout. Our algorithm, thanks to the buffer map, avoids heavy online computation so it could be widely deployed on different terminals. The performed simulation and trial experiments confirm the efficiency of our approach.

On delimiting video rebuffering for stream-switching adaptive applications

Most of the current adaptation algorithms assess download rate, or trace playout buffer occupancy to adapt video representation. We propose a novel approach for switching video representation based on the estimated probability of video rebuffering. This probability is calculated using an analytical model of playout buffer and measured segment download time characteristics. The results of simulation experiments and prototype trials, carried out in a controlled network environment and over the Internet, show that our method efficiently accommodates changing network conditions.

Adaptive Video Streaming: Rate and Buffer on the Track of Minimum Rebuffering

New trends of the future Internet aim to overcome the best effort service and offer guaranteed service to the users. Guarantees should be acquired not only at the network level but also at higher layers in order to deliver the best quality of experience. This paper presents a new approach for HTTP-compliant adaptive applications. This solution fulfills the guarantees of maximum rebuffering probability even in highly variable environments as the future Internet seems to be. Guaranteed low rebuffering improves visibly the users quality of experience during multimedia events. The tests performed confirmed that, unlike rate-based adaptation algorithms, our solution ensures maximum rebuffering and it decisively reduces rate switches in comparison with buffer-based adaptation algorithms.

A scalable and flexible packet forwarding method for Future Internet networks

The paper proposes a novel flexible packet forwarding (FPF) method designed for Future Internet networks. It follows the source routing principle at an inter-domain level and applies the list of domain customized identifiers to forward packets on the end-to-end path. The main features are capability to introduce flexible routing path selection, native support for multipath and multicast packet transfer, ability for exploitation of advanced in-network packet processing as, e.g., content recoding and caching. The performance and scalability of FPF approach were evaluated by experimentation on developed prototype as well as by scalability studies assuming Internet-scale network scenario.

EmPath: tool to emulate packet transfer characteristics in IP network

The paper describes the EmPath tool that was designed to emulate packet transfer characteristics as delays and losses in IP network. The main innovation of this tool is its ability to emulate packet stream transfer while maintaining packet integrity, packet delay and loss distribution and correlation. In this method, we decide about the fate of new packet (delay and loss) by using the conditional probability distributions depending on the transmission characteristics of the last packet. For this purpose, we build a Markov model with transition probabilities calculated on the basis of the measured packet traces. The EmPath tool was implemented as a module of the Linux kernel and its capabilities were examined in the testbed environment. In the paper, we show some results illustrating the effectiveness of EmPath tool.