Filip Vandermeulen

Design and implementation of a generic connection management and service level agreement monitoring platform supporting the virtual private network service

In this paper we address the design of a generic and scalable architecture for connection management and SLA (service level agreement) monitoring of VPNs (virtual private networks). Layer-based design ensures that the architecture is independent of the network technology. Use of advanced software techniques such as run time compilation and intelligent agents allow easy integration of new monitoring and routing algorithms. The architecture offers advanced features such as VPN edge device capability matching, XML-based SLS (service level specification) language, load balancing of computational tasks, and programmable components. The architecture is compliant with the TINA (telecommunication information network architecture) recommendations and its implementation is based on CORBA (common object request broker architecture). In addition, a sample VPN setup and monitoring scenario will be detailed.

On the design and implementation of a hierarchical, generic and scalable open architecture for the network management layer

In this paper we address the design and implementation aspects of a generic architecture for the NML (network management layer). The focus in this paper will be on SNMP manageable ADSL/ATM networks. SNMP (simple network management protocol) is a standardized protocol which is supported by almost all current computer network devices. The architecture is compliant with the TINA (Telecommunication Information Network Architecture) recommendations and is implemented based on the CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) standard. During the design and implementation process, a lot of effort has been devoted to the performance, robustness, persistence and consistence of the distributed software under various load and fault scenarios. The most suitable distributed software techniques, like object transactions, concurrency control, event notification and naming service were used and thoroughly tested on their usability. It is also indicated how the core of the described architecture can be extended towards next-generation IP-based networks.

An end to end QoS discovery architecture embedded in a TINA based multimedia platform

In this paper we envisage the issue of quality of service (QoS) management for multimedia services as an end to end QoS discovery problem. With this perception as a basis, we designed and implemented a layered QoS management architecture which handles QoS from the users perspective, as well as from the end systems and the networks perspective. The architecture is decomposed into three layers. First there is the QoS specification, presentation and parameterization layer at which an end user is able to specify his/her QoS requirements in a comprehensible and qualitative way, and at which these QoS requirements are translated into parameterized terminal capabilities. Secondly, there is the QoS matching and negotiation layer at which the parameterized QoS capabilities of different terminal end systems are marched and compared in order to search for a QoS equilibrium. Finally, there is the QoS implementation layer which implements the resolved QoS equilibrium in the network and in the terminals. This generic architecture, which allows a de-abstraction of user defined QoS, has been implemented in the context of a CORBA based TINA platform.

On the design of an integrated management platform for an ADSL/ATM based access network using CORBA

In this paper, we address the problem of the end-to-end management of a heterogeneous public network. In the case study, the access part of the network is based on the ADSL technology for the provisioning of high-speed IP over ATM to the customer and consists of ADSL network elements and ATM access switches. The core of the network is ATM-based and provides connectivity to retailers, which in this case are Internet service providers (ISP). We give an insight into the technological approach which consists of building a distributed platform, based on CORBA, that integrates existing element and network management systems and provides an end-to-end configuration, performance and fault management solution. The architecture of a generic resource adapter for SNMP devices as well as an automated SNMP-to-IDL mapping method are detailed.

Automated Design of Modular SNMP-CORBA Gateways and Their Application for the Development of an ADSL Access Network Manager

In this paper we address the problem of the specification and design of extensible CORBA/SNMP gateways which allow to embed legacy SNMP managed devices into a Distributed Processing Environment (DPE). Our approach is that of a generic Resource Adapter (RA) which is staged in two layers. A first Layer-1 contains stateless CORBA-IDL/SMI-SNMP stubs and a second Layer-2, runs on top of Layer-1 and adds logical behavior to the gateway. The Layer-1 builds upon a fully new specification and interaction translation of the MIB, whose creation is automated via a tool chain called the MibCompiler platform. In outlining the informational, computational and engineering viewpoint of the Resource Adapter architecture according to the ODP framework, two extra servers called the Resource Adapter Factory (RAF) and the Resource Adapter Factory Dispatcher (RAFD) are introduced. These servers enhance the CORBA/SNMP mediation platform in both performance and scalability. The Resource Adapter approach has been applied for the design and implementation of an ADSL access network manager, which was used for the ACTS VITAL project. This ADSL access network manager is now integrated with a similar ATM access network manager in order to support an ADSL provisioning support tool for the Belgian Public Network Operator.

A generic architecture for management and control of end-to-end quality of service over multiple domains

Currently, service providers and network operators are exploring new business opportunities that can be found in offering packages of advanced highly customized services to both residential and corporate subscribers. The semantics of these services will be more sophisticated, their access will be better controlled, their usage will be more flexible in time (scheduled) and space (mobile access), and their delivery will be possible with different grades of Quality of Service (QoS). Multimedia services such as video conferencing, distance learning, tele surgery, or dynamic and scheduled trunk provisioning, subject to certain Subject Level Agreements (e.g. corporate VPNs), are just a few examples of services with higher semantics. Although these services could have a high market potential, their implementation and delivery are hampered by the lack of an efficient, flexible and integrated network and service management system. Particularly, in the network management domain we encounter the following three problems. First, the setup of multimedia streams with end-to-end QoS over multiple administrative business domains is impossible without adequate federating mechanisms between network management systems. Secondly, dynamic and flexible interworking mechanisms between different technology domains is ubiquitous for the automatic provisioning of trails over a set of heterogeneous networked systems (e.g. from ATM in the access to IP in the core, from MPLS to DWDM, or from Frame Relay to ATM). Third, management of end-to-end QoS is not only a matter of network QoS. Management of QoS in end terminals and end devices or at a web server is an integral part of the global QoS delivery process. The Telecommunications Information Networking Architecture (TINA) has defined a distributed and integrated computational platform for the management and delivery of QoS based services. This paper starts from a state of the art TINA system and elaborates potential enhancements and extensions in order to bring a solution for each of the three previous issues.

TINA - TMN Interworking: Case Study of an Integration between the VITAL TINA Platform and an Existing TMN Platform

For the management of public telecommunication networks TMN (Telecommunications Management Network) receives a wide acceptance from network operators and suppliers. Although TMN defines different layers going from the service oriented Business layer towards the Element layer, it is currently very much focused on network and element management. On the other hand TINA (Telecommunications Information Networking Architecture) integrates the service management layers with the network management layers in a coherent way relying on a distributed software execution platform (DPE). This paper focuses on possible interworking schemes between both architectures where the strong elements of each are combined: TINA for the service management and TMN for the network management. Several candidate interworking/ migration schemes between CORBA/IDL and CMISE/GDMO are investigated in the context of a concrete implementation, namely the interworking between a TMN platform based on HP OpenView and the TINA compliant platform developed in the context of the ACTS VITAL project.

Dynamically configurable protocol stacks

This paper presents a generic architecture for multimedia terminals with respect to the management and implementation of dynamic and programmable protocol stacks. This architecture is built around the combination of CORBA based management components and real-time multimedia data processing engines. The management objects export a set of easily usable interfaces, which allow cascading and configuring the engines in such a way that they terminate multimedia network connections with the desired protocol stack. Terminal software components, which are designed according to existing multimedia delivery standards (such as TINA or H.323) can be easily integrated with these CORBA components in order to introduce dynamic programmable multimedia endpoints in the terminal(s).