Richard Egan

A management and control architecture for providing IP differentiated services in MPLS-based networks

As the Internet evolves toward the global multiservice network of the future, a key consideration is support for services with guaranteed quality of service. The proposed differentiated services framework is seen as the key technology to achieve this. DiffServ currently concentrates on control/data plane mechanisms to support QoS, but also recognizes the need for management plane aspects through the bandwidth broker. In this article we propose a model and architectural framework for supporting DiffServ-based end-to-end QoS in the Internet, assuming underlying MPLS-based explicit routed paths. The proposed integrated management and control architecture will allow providers to offer both quantitative and qualitative services while optimizing the use of underlying network resources.

Scalable monitoring support for resource management and service assurance

Continuous monitoring of network status and its resources are necessary to ensure proper network operation. Deployment of QoS-based value-added services in IP networks necessitates the employment of resource management techniques and specifically the use of traffic engineering. The latter typically relies on monitoring data for both offline proactive and dynamic reactive solutions. The variety of data to be collected and analyzed using different measurement methods and tools, and the extent of monitoring information to use demand a proper QoS monitoring infrastructure. A monitoring system should be scalable in terms of network size, speed, and number of customers subscribed to value-added services. This article investigates the requirements of scalable monitoring system architectures, proposes principles for designing such systems, and validates them through the design and implementation of a scalable monitoring system for QoS delivery in IP differentiated services networks. Experimental assessment results prove the accuracy and scalability of the proposed monitoring system.

An architectural framework for providing QoS in IP differentiated services networks

As the Internet evolves, a key consideration is support for services with guaranteed quality of service (QoS). The proposed differentiated services (DiffServ) framework, which supports aggregate traffic classes, is seen as the key technology to achieve this. DiffServ currently concentrates on control/data plane mechanisms to support QoS but also recognises the need for management plane aspects through the bandwidth broker (BB). In this paper we propose a model and architectural framework for supporting end-to-end QoS in the Internet through a combination of both management and control/data plane aspects. Within the network we consider control mechanisms for traffic engineering (TE) based both on explicitly routed paths and on pure node-by-node layer 3 routing. Management aspects include customer interfacing for service level specification (SLS) negotiation, network dimensioning, traffic forecasting and dynamic resource and routing management. All these are policy-driven in order to allow for the specification of high-level management directives. Many of the functional blocks of our architectural model are also features of BBs, the main difference being that a BB is seen as driven purely by customer requests whereas, in our approach, TE functions are continually aiming at optimising the network configuration and its performance. As such, we substantiate the notion of the BB and propose an integrated management and control architecture that will allow providers to offer both qualitative and quantitative QoS-based services while optimising the use of underlying network resources.

A scalable real-time monitoring system for supporting traffic engineering

Quality of service based value-added services in IP networks necessitate the use of traffic engineering. The latter relies typically on monitoring data for both offline, proactive and dynamic, reactive solutions. A monitoring system should be scalable in terms of network size, speed and number of customers subscribed to value-added services. The article investigates the requirements of scalable monitoring system architectures, proposes principles for designing such systems and validates them through the design and implementation of a scalable monitoring system for QoS delivery in IP differentiated services (DiffServ) networks. Experimental assessment results are also presented.

Building Quality-of-Service Monitoring Systems for Traffic Engineering and Service Management

Deployment of quality-of-service (QoS) based value-added services in IP networks necessitates the use of traffic engineering. Traffic engineering allows service providers to use the network resources efficiently, according to the different quality levels associated with the range of services they offer. Traffic engineering relies typically on monitoring data for both “offline proactive” and “dynamic reactive” approaches. Monitoring data may be used for network provisioning, dynamic resource allocation, route management, and in-service performance verification for value-added IP services. A monitoring system should scale with the network size, the network speed, and the number of customers subscribed to use value-added IP services. This paper investigates the requirements of scalable monitoring system architectures, proposes principles for designing such systems and validates these principles through the design and implementation of a scalable monitoring system for traffic engineering and QoS delivery in IP Differentiated Services networks. Methods for assessing the relative merits of such monitoring systems are proposed. Experimental assessment results prove the scalability, accuracy, and also demonstrate the benefits of the proposed monitoring system.

Quality of service provisioning through traffic engineering with applicability to IP-based production networks

Production networks require the transport of high-quality multimedia traffic between outside broadcast vans and the main studio. This is typically done through dedicated terrestrial or satellite links, with bandwidth purchased from third party network providers, which is expensive and lacks flexibility. Given the emergence of IP networks and the Internet as the multi-service network of choice, it is plausible to consider their use for transporting production network traffic with high bandwidth and low delay and packet loss requirements. Emerging technologies for quality of service such as Differentiated Services and MPLS can be used for premium quality traffic. In this paper we try to use the emerging IP technologies to support services like production network traffic. We present a Traffic Engineering and Control System that starts from agreed services with customers and provisions the network according to the expected traffic demand so as to meet the requirements of contracted services while optimising the use of network resources. We devise a non-linear programming formulation of the problem and show through extensive simulations that we can achieve the objectives and meet the requirements of demanding production network traffic. Our solution is generic enough and not only tuned to production networks, so it can be used in other contexts for supporting services with stringent quality of service requirements.

Quality of service provisioning for supporting premium services in IP networks

Given the emergence of IP networks and the Internet as the multi-service network of choice, it is plausible consider its use for transporting demanding multimedia traffic with high bandwidth and low delay and packet loss requirements. Emerging technologies for quality of service such as differentiated services and MPLS can be used for premium quality traffic. We present a traffic engineering and control system that starts from services agreed with customers and provisions the network according to the expected traffic demand so as to meet the requirements of contracted services while optimizing the use of network resources. We devise a non-linear programming formulation of the problem and show through simulations that we can achieve the objectives and meet the requirements of demanding customer traffic.