Admission control in time-slotted multihop mobile networks

The emergence of nomadic applications have generated a lot of interest in next-generation wireless network infrastructures which provide differentiated service classes. So it is important to study how the quality of service (QoS), such as packet loss and bandwidth, should be guaranteed. To accomplish this, we develop am admission control scheme which can guarantee bandwidth for real-time applications in multihop mobile networks. In our scheme, a host need not discover and maintain any information of the network resources status on the routes to another host until a connection request is generated for the communication between the two hosts, unless the former host is offering its services as an intermediate forwarding station to maintain connectivity between two other hosts. This bandwidth guarantee feature is important for a mobile network to interconnect wired networks with QoS support. Our connection admission control scheme can also work in a stand-alone mobile ad hoc network for real-time applications. This control scheme contains end-to-end bandwidth calculation and bandwidth allocation. Under such a scheme, the source is informed of the bandwidth and QoS available to any destination in the mobile network. This knowledge enables the establishment of QoS connections within the mobile network and the efficient support of real time applications. In the case of ATM interconnection, the bandwidth information can be used to carry out an intelligent handoff between ATM gateways and/or to extend the ATM virtual circuit service to the mobile network with possible renegotiation of QoS parameters at the gateway. We examine via simulation the system performance in various QoS traffic flows and mobility environments     

Bandwidth allocation and connection admission control in ATMnetworks

Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) is the transmission format for almost all future communication networks, including broadband integrated services digital networks (B-ISDN). The key feature of ATM is its high flexibility in bandwidth allocation. Instead of reserving capacity for each connection, the bandwidth is allocated on demand. As a consequence, packets (called cells in ATM terminology) might be lost. To guarantee a given quality of service (QoS), some kind of control is needed to decide whether to accept or to reject an incoming connection. A connection is accepted only if the network has sufficient resources to achieve the QoS required by the user without affecting the QoS of the existing connections. In ATM networks, connection admission control (CAC) is responsible for this decision. It is a very complex function because the traffic may vary greatly and have poorly known characteristics. This paper describes CAC procedures proposed in the literature and discusses issues related to bandwidth allocation in ATM networks. It shows that CAC and statistical multiplexing are only needed for certain connections     

QoS guarantees for multimedia services on a TDMA-based satellitenetwork

This article describes a proposed network architecture for both the ground and space segments of a satellite network supporting multimedia services with quality of service (QoS) guarantees. The space segment proposal is geared toward a TDMA-based satellite network comprising many nongeostationary satellites, while the ground segment proposal does not put any restriction an the satellite network. The ground segment proposal is based on the new ATM adaptation layer 2 (AAL2) which we consider to have a major role to play in offering an efficient way to provide multimedia services over ATM networks. Indeed, it allows easy encapsulation of the complete set of media component sessions which forms a multimedia transaction into a single ATM virtual channel connection. An additional advantage of AAL2 is that it can run over any arbitrary slotted access system independent of the ATM format (i.e., without transporting the ATM cell headers). This is important for efficient interfacing of the ground and space segments. The space segment proposal aims at providing a robust, easily managed and controlled architecture to guarantee QoS by using a combination of connectionless and connection-oriented techniques. This is achieved by: defining a fixed logical network architecture (i.e., independent of the motion of the satellites); limiting the functionality of the switches in the sky; and using adequate addressing and routing procedures     

Implementing integrated and differentiated services for theInternet with ATM networks: a practical approach

This article reports on design, implementation, and preliminary experimentation of a network architecture that supports quality of service for Internet applications. It gives an overview of the various approaches toward communication networks that support application-specific degrees of QoS. Special emphasis is put on the integrated and differentiated services approaches and on combinations of them. A new architecture is described which aims to bring these concepts closer to practical realization in wide-area networks. The new architecture supports the integrated as well as differentiated services approaches in a smoothly integrated way, and uses the capabilities of an underlying ATM network to realize QoS. The enhancements to the existing network infrastructure are deliberately limited to the integration of a single new type of network element called an edge device. The potential benefits of such an architecture for various stakeholders are explained, and how the new architecture could be introduced smoothly in existing networks by small migration steps, also covering networks based on technologies other than ATM. It is shown that the approach can be scaled up to a very large QoS-aware overlay network for the Internet     

Quality of service in telecommunications .II. Translation of QoSparameters into ATM performance parameters in B-ISDN

The main goal of this article is to present the translation of quality of service (QoS) parameters between layers. The QoS parameters in the ATM layer and AAL are defined. This translation concept came from the QoS framework in which the influence of the protocol stack on the QoS should be considered. As an example, we concentrate on the translation from the AAL to the ATM layer, as the AAL must be designed to be service-dependent and specific. Translation, both taking the transport protocol into account as well as between application and transport QoS, needs further study. However, our study shows that the QoS translation is a possible and good approach in end-to-end QoS guarantees in the broadband integrated services digital network (B-ISDN). As far as the end-to-end QoS guarantee issue is concerned, the transport QoS requirements are specified in terms of bounds on transport QoS parameters. The bounds on transport QoS parameters will be translated into the bounds on ATM layer QoS parameters. The ATM-layer QoS parameters resulting from the translation will be the performance requirements on a connection basis for the ATM network, but are basically the end-to-end parameters, including the network and the end systems. Therefore, the QoS translation finally results in the network performance parameters in the ATM network. We define QoS parameters in the AAL and ATM layer. Case studies in which the translation method is applied to a constant bit rate (CBR) video service and data service, respectively, are also presented     

ATM in MPLS-based converged core data networks

Services supported by asynchronous transfer mode account for the majority of data and Internet service revenues generated by carrier networks today. This is based on ATM's ability to support high availability services with quality of service. However, the influences of the Internet and a highly dynamic telecommunications market have raised demands for increased flexibility while controlling costs. Therefore, future carrier networks are likely to continue to be based on established technologies, such as ATM, as well as IP. In many cases, this is achieved through maintaining separate ATM and IP core networks, with the IP network supporting Internet services, while the ATM network continues to support guaranteed services such as private lines, broadband access, and video. In some cases, however, it can be advantageous for a carrier to transport segments of their ATM network over their IP network core; for example, to transport ATM traffic currently carried on leased facilities onto an IP network where the service provider owns the facilities. Developments in IP and MPLS-based traffic engineering and QoS may increase the ability of IP-based networks to support ATM services using MPLS. This article provides an overview of approaches enabling a network based on MPLS that naturally supports IP services to also support ATM services. The drivers and requirements for convergence on an IP/MPLS core network are presented, followed by an overview of the different approaches and associated challenges currently being debated in the standards bodies.     

Monitoring and Troubleshooting in Operational IP-TV System

When deploying large scale of QoS guaranteed IP-TV services over Triple-Play networks, there is a growing demand to access to the live network services, monitor in real time the broadcast chains, acquire the dynamic network parameters to ensure an uninterrupted, high quality service. Considering the difference of IP packet switching network and the de-facto transport stream (TS) standard of broadcast digital video network, this paper describes design consideration and implementation of a powerful embedded IP-TV monitor for real time monitoring the IP-TV QoS and using this equipment to construct a payload-aware monitoring network for on-line troubleshooting when the QoS deteriorate. The monitor should be designed to have ability to monitor and troubleshoot the blended combination of network status and digital TV quality in real time and cross layer way, meanwhile the procedures of monitoring does not interfere with the on-line services. This monitor can be deployed in the networks to measure the three ultimate metrics: IP cumulative jitter, packet loss and MPEG TS errors and provide helpful information about the network and service when service failed. Implementation and experimental results show promise of being practical in the real IP-TV trial networks.     

The Broadband Access Facility

The deployment of broadband access networks will revolutionise many aspects of society in the early years of the next millennium. Manufacturers, telecommunications providers and cable television operators world-wide are investing heavily on research into networks that provide broadband multimedia services to customers. BT has developed a prototype of a full service access network that can connect customers via optical fibre, digital subscriber line or radio technologies. This paper describes the physical implementation of the prototype network and the wide range of services that it can support.This prototype network, referred to as the 'broadband access facility' is enabling BT and its partners to understand the best access architectures for a given environment through practical testing. The network now serves as an experimental platform, that can be used for communicating broadband concepts, designing operational processes, developing management solutions and testing advanced applications.The full service access networks (FSAN) initiative is a collaboration involving fourteen of the world's leading telecommunications network operators and major equipment manufacturers. Its vision is to create a shared requirements specification for access systems supporting narrowband and broadband services. This common specification will mean that broadband network components can be developed for world markets, thus raising volumes and driving down unit costs. The common system specification is based around an ATM/SDH (asynchronous transfer mode/synchronous digital hierarchy) core network, with local optical fibre distribution via an ATM PON (passive optical network). DSL (digital subscriber line) systems maximise reuse of existing copper plant. The exact DSL system used depends upon where the optical system is terminated, e.g. in the local exchange, cabinet, kerb or home. Hence this broadband access system can support a range of access architectures — this flexibility is fundamental to the consensus achieved in FSAN.     

Optimizing QoS routing in hierarchical ATM networks using computational intelligence techniques

In this paper, the use of a computational intelligence approach -a reinforcement learning algorithm (RLA)-for optimizing the routing in asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks based on the private network-to-network interface (PNNI) standard is proposed. This algorithm which is specially designed for the quality of service (QoS) routing problem, aims at maximizing the network revenue (allocating efficiently the network resources) while ensuring the QoS requirements for each connection. In this study, large-scale networks are considered where it becomes necessary to be organized hierarchically so that a scale in terms of computation, communication and storage requirements will be achieved. A comparative performance study of the proposed and other commonly used routing schemes is demonstrated by means of simulation on existing commercial networks. Simulation results over a wide range of uniform, time-varying and skewed loading conditions show the effectiveness of the proposed routing algorithm, and disclose the strength and weakness of the various schemes.     

Training techniques for neural network applications in ATM

The main problems of adaptive ATM quality of service (QoS) control methods using neural networks were the exponentially wide range of the output target and the real-time training data sampling. But new practical techniques to overcome these problems may open new neural network applications. In this article, the framework of connection admission control (CAC) is described as a typical example of neural-network-based QoS estimation and two practical techniques, called relative target method and virtual output buffer method, are presented to enhance the neural network performance in CAC     

Operations standards for global ATM networks: network element view

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has completed work on a series of standards on asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) equipment functional operations and network element management. The objective of these standards is to enable flexible design and interoperability of network elements for use in a global ATM network, independent of any specific implementation. This article discusses these standards with respect to their development and application in planning ATM networks. Specifically, it addresses the following: the modeling approach taken in the development of the ITU standards, key operational features specified in the ATM network element functional model, and the capabilities of the ATM network element management interface. Examples of ATM equipment are provided to illustrate how the functional models specified in the ITU standards may be used by network planners and equipment manufacturers to specify and develop ATM equipment tailored to specific needs, while ensuring network interoperability. The article concludes with some points on the future enhancement of these and related ATM equipment operations standards     

Modeling and Interoperability Test Case Generation of a Real-Time QoS Monitoring Protocol

QoS monitoring is a kind of real-time systems which allows each level of the system to track the ongoing QoS levels achieved by the lower network layers. For these systems, real-time communication between corresponding transport protocol objects is essential for their correct behavior. When two or more entities are employed to perform a certain task as in the case of communication protocols, the capability to do so is called interoperability and considered as the essential aspect of correctness of communication systems. This paper describes a formal approach on modeling and interoperability test case generation of a real-time QoS monitoring protocol. For this, we specify the behavior of flow monitoring of transport layer QoS protocol, i.e., METS protocol, which is proposed to address QoS from an end-to-end's point of view, based on QoS architecture model which includes ATM network in lower layers. We use a real-time Input/Output Finite State Machine to model the behavior of real-time flow monitoring over time. From the modeled real-time I/OFSM, we generate interoperability test cases to check the correctness of METS protocol's flow monitoring behaviors for two end systems. A new approach to efficient interoperability testing is described and the method of interoperability test cases generation is shown with the example of METS protocol's flow monitoring. The current TTCN is not appropriate for testing real-time and multimedia systems. Because test events in TTCN are for message-based system and not for stream-based systems, the real-time in TTCN can only be approximated. This paper also proposes the notation of real-time Abstract Test Suite by means of real-time extension of TTCN. This approach gives the advantages that only a few syntactical changes are necessary, and TTCN and real-time TTCN are compatible. This formal approach on interoperability testing can be applied to the real-time protocols related to IMT-2000, B-ISDN and real-time systems.     

Trunking of TDM and narrowband services over IP Networks

The recent interest in IP as the vehicle for transporting TDM and narrowband services stems from the possibility of using a common transport network for voice, video, and data, and the flexibility with which new services can be introduced. A key step in the evolution of networks towards a ‘broadband’ IP‐based environment is the ‘graceful’ interworking of the IP networks with the existing networks and services, particularly with the circuit switched telephone network. A ‘graceful’ interworking approach is one whose complexity is minimal and preserves the user's perceived quality of service (QoS). To interwork with a circuit switched network whose services are pre‐dominantly time‐sensitive, the IP network must essentially behave as a transparent ‘link’ in the end‐to‐end connection. This paper presents an overview of the main technical problems to be addressed when trunking TDM and narrowband services over IP networks. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A combined admission control algorithm with DA protocol for satellite ATM networks

Admission control is an important strategy for Quality of Service （QoS） provisioning in Asynchronous Transfer Mode （ATM） networks. Based on a control-theory model of resources on-Demand Allocation （DA） protocol, the paper studies the effect of the protocol on the statistical characteristics of network traffic, and proposes a combined connection admission control algorithm with the DA protocol to achieve full utilization of link resources in satellite communication systems. The proposed algorithm is based on the cross-layer-design approach. Theoretical analysis and system simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can admit more connections within certain admission thresholds than one that does not take into account the DA protocol. Thus, the proposed algorithm can increase admission ratio of traffic sources for satellite ATM networks and improve satellite link utilization.     

QoS routing in ad hoc wireless networks

The emergence of nomadic applications have generated much interest in wireless network infrastructures that support real-time communications. We propose a bandwidth routing protocol for quality-of-service (QoS) support in a multihop mobile network. The QoS routing feature is important for a mobile network to interconnect wired networks with QoS support (e.g., ATM, Internet, etc.). The QoS routing protocol can also work in a stand-alone multihop mobile network for real-time applications. This QoS routing protocol contains end-to-end bandwidth calculation and bandwidth allocation. Under such a routing protocol, the source (or the ATM gateway) is informed of the bandwidth and QoS available to any destination in the mobile network. This knowledge enables the establishment of QoS connections within the mobile network and the efficient support of real-time applications. In addition, it enables more efficient call admission control. In the case of ATM interconnection, the bandwidth information can be used to carry out intelligent handoff between ATM gateways and/or to extend the ATM virtual circuit (VC) service to the mobile network with possible renegotiation of QoS parameters at the gateway. We examine the system performance in various QoS traffic flows and mobility environments via simulation. Simulation results suggest distinct performance advantages of our protocol that calculates the bandwidth information. It is particularly useful in call admission control. Furthermore, “standby” routing enhances the performance in the mobile environment. Simulation experiments show this improvement     

OAM mechanisms for BISDN UNI and access networks

This paper clarifies operation and maintenance (OAM) requirements for broadband integrated services digital network (BISDN) customer access systems including user-network interface (UNI), and proposes basic OAM mechanisms. Access networks employ a logical networking architecture based on the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) virtual path (VP) concept to provide all services efficiently, economically. Services are independent of the network's physical configuration. Thus, OAM functions for the access network are required to support physical and ATM layer capabilities. UNI physical performance and failure information flows to ensure user service quality are described. A fault localization mechanism is introduced that determines whether the failure lies on the network provider side or customer side. It uses failure information flows and loop back testing at the network terminator 1 (NT1). As connection-related virtual path connection (VPC) availability indication is necessary for user-to-network applications and user-to-user applications, two alternative VPC-related availability indication mechanisms are studied. Furthermore, basic performance monitoring mechanisms for ATM layer are described.     

Design of a generalized priority queue manager for ATM switches

Meeting quality of service (QoS) requirements for various services in ATM networks has been very challenging to network designers. Various control techniques at either the call or cell level have been proposed. In this paper, we deal with cell transmission scheduling and discarding at the output buffers of an ATM switch. We propose a generalized priority queue manager (GPQM) that uses per-virtual-connection queueing to support multiple QoS requirements and achieve fairness in both cell transmission and discarding. It achieves the ultimate goal of guaranteeing the QoS requirement for each connection. The GPQM adopts the earliest due date (EDD) and self-clocked fair queueing (SCFQ) schemes for scheduling cell transmission and a new self-calibrating pushout (SCP) scheme for discarding cells. The GPQM's performance in cell loss rate and delay is presented. An implementation architecture for the GPQM is also proposed, which is facilitated by a new VLSI chip called the priority content-addressable memory (PCAM) chip     

An evolvable ATM-based video network design supporting multipleaccess network technologies

This article describes an overall video network architecture with primary focus on the ATM subnetwork. The ATM subnetwork provides efficient switching capability for providing constant bit rate and variable bit rate video communication services. The ATM subnetwork can support multiple access networks like hybrid fiber coax (HFC), asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL), and fiber to the curb (FTTC). A broadband network controller is presented as the external controller for the ATM subnetwork which performs the functions of the session/network manager and the ATM-based connection management. The initial deployment of video is likely to be permanent virtual connection (PVC)-based, so a dynamic PVC-based scenario is described. The ATM switch architecture presented here has been optimized to support video applications. An evolution to the switched virtual connection environment and support of multiple services over the ATM subnetwork is also addressed. Traffic management schemes are discussed which provide the negotiated quality of service to the connections     

Interaction of call blocking and cell loss in an ATM network

The introduction of broadband ATM networks and services will raise new operational issues. An area of significant challenge to the network operators will be network dimensioning. ATM networks differ from today's STM networks in that they will have to provide acceptable performance with respect to not only call blocking, but also cell loss and cell delay. Consequently, it is important to understand the interaction of call blocking and cell loss/delay in ATM networks. The paper presents a method of exploiting the interaction of call blocking and cell loss performance in order to efficiently operate the ATM networks. Specifically, the paper demonstrates that when the network is dimensioned or engineered to meet an appropriate call blocking objective, the cell loss performance perceived by the accepted calls can be significantly better than the cell loss objective set for the connection admission control (CAC) to admit or deny a call