Ralph Wittmann

AMnet: heterogeneous multicast services based on active networking

AMnet flexibly provides communication services inside the network. It is based on active networking and on a hardware/software codesign in order to improve efficiency. Group communication is explicitly addressed since it is an important paradigm for existing and emerging networked applications. The goal of the AMnet approach is the provision of scalable quality-based support for heterogeneous group communication. It uses so-called service modules for efficient and flexible service support within intermediate systems. This paper gives an overview of AMnet. The design of an AMnode as an active intermediate system with hardware-supported service capabilities is presented. Furthermore, a simple control and signalling suite for heterogeneous multicast services is proposed.

AMnet: active multicasting network

Today we are faced with an increasing variety of networks and end systems. The resulting heterogeneous environment imposes new challenges on communication support for multimedia and collaborative applications. AMnet is an approach that provides multipoint communication support for large-scale groups with heterogeneous receivers. Active network nodes are used to deliver data streams with user-tailored QoS. They provide so-called QoS filters that remove information from continuous media streams in order to reduce data rate for low-end receivers without affecting high-end receivers. A prototype implementation of AMnet based on RSVP Filer is presented.

Heterogeneous multicasting based on RSVP and QoS filters

Today we are faced with an increasing variety of networks and end systems. The resulting heterogenous environment imposes new challenges on communication support for multimedia and collaborative applications. Heterogenous group communication is a key issue for the proper support of such applications. The approach outlined in this paper forms a first step towards an active multicasting network (AMnet) that is capable to provide flexible, scalable and efficient support for heterogenous group communication. RSVP is used as signaling protocol and QoS filters form the active components in the networks nodes. They scale the QoS down to the individual requirements of subgroups or single members within a heterogenous group communication. Therefore, they remove information (e.g., color information) from continuous media streams, such as video streams. The basic architecture and concept as well as a prototype implementation and some measurements are presented in this paper.

Towards support for heterogeneous multimedia communications

Today, we are faced with a huge variety of multimedia and collaborative applications, networks and end-systems. The resulting heterogeneous environment imposes new challenges on transport systems. To meet the requirements of heterogeneous receivers in multi-point communication, a communication framework based on a so-called group mediator is outlined. Group mediators are located within the network and provide multicast support for CSCW and multimedia applications. QoS filters are discussed as group mediator modules. Initial work on signalling filter functions is presented.

AMnet: Active Multicasting Network

Today we are faced with an increasing variety of networks and end systems. The resulting heterogeneous environment imposes new challenges on communication support for multimedia and collaborative applications. AMnet is an approach that provides multipoint communication support for large-scale groups with heterogeneous receivers. Active network nodes are used to deliver data streams with user-tailored QoS. They provide so-called QoS filters that remove information from continuous media streams in order to reduce data rate for low-end receivers without affecting high-end receivers. A prototype implementation of AMnet based on RSVP Filer is presented.

Amnet: Efficient Heterogeneous Group Communication Through Rapid Service Creation

AMnet provides a framework for flexible and rapid service creation. It is based on Active and Programmable Networking technologies and uses active nodes (AMnodes) within the network. These AMnodes execute so called service modules to make user tailored data streams available to individual receivers. This paper focuses on the goal of AMnet to design a platform for AMnodes which is shaped for efficient execution of flexibly loadable service modules.

Active multicasting for heterogeneous groups

Communication environments are becoming increasingly heterogeneous. This imposes new challenges on communication support for multimedia and collaborative applications. AMnet (Active Multicasting Network) provides multi-point communication support for large-scale groups with heterogeneous receivers. Active Multicasting nodes inside the network include so-called QoS filters that remove information from continuous media streams in order to reduce data rate for low-end receivers without affecting high-end receivers. A prototype implementation of AMnet based on RSVP is presented with some first performance results.

Locating Services in Programmable Networks with AMnet-Signalling

AMnet provides a framework for flexible and rapid service creation. It is based on Active and Programmable Networking technologies and uses active nodes (AMnodes) within the network. These AMnodes are executing service modules for the provision of individual communication services. Using on-demand loadable service modules helps to enhance the functionality of intermediate systems without long global standardization processes.

Towards Scalable Quality-Based Heterogeneous Multicast Services

The variety of applications, network technologies, end systems, and user preferences restricts multicast communication. The goal of the AMnet approach outlined in this paper is the provision of scalable quality-based support for heterogeneous group communication. Following the Active Networking approach AMnet flexibly provides heterogeneous communication services inside the network. So-called service modules are used for efficient and flexible service support within intermediate systems. AMnet is designed for an IP based Internet and benefits from its multicast extensions in several ways.

AMnet: efficient and flexible provision of heterogeneous multicast services

AMnet is a framework for flexible and rapid service creation and provides primarily heterogeneous user-tailored group communication services, AMnet is based on Active and Programmable Networking technologies and uses active nodes (AMnodes) located within the network to execute so-called service modules for the provision of individual group communication services. It is, however not limited to group communication since it provides a rather generic framework. The AMnode design is shaped for the efficient execution of flexible loadable service modules, including dedicated hardware support.