QoS Management by means of Application Control [Vol. 7, No. 2, 1999]

QoS Management by means of Application Control

P. P. Demestichas
Telecommunications Laboratory, Computer Science Division,
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,
National Technical University of Athens (NTUA)
15773 Zographou, Athens, GREECE
Email: pdemest_AT_cc.ece.ntua.gr

V. P. Demesticha
Telecommunications Laboratory, Computer Science Division,
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,
National Technical University of Athens (NTUA)

Y.I. Manolessos
Telecommunications Laboratory, Computer Science Division,
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,
National Technical University of Athens (NTUA)

G.D. Stamoulis
INTRACOM SA, P.O. Box 68, 19.5 km Markopoulou Ave.,
190-02 Peania, Attika, GREECE

M.E. Theologou
Telecommunications Laboratory, Computer Science Division,
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,
National Technical University of Athens (NTUA)

Abstract
The complexity and sophistication of integrated broadband networks call for a broad repertoire of management methods. Foreseen intensive competition of the communications market on one hand, and the upgrade of end-customer's satisfaction as the focal point of any management policy raise a very important problem: how to utilise efficiently the resources of the network while maintaining the Quality of Service (QoS) provided to end-users within a pre-negotiated range. In this paper, a QoS management architecture for multimedia applications based on an application control scheme is proposed. Adhering to the Total Quality Management (TQM) paradigm, we let management span over the entire communication stack, the entire network (end-to-end) and the entire call duration. Application control scheme aims to meet pre-specified QoS goals by adjusting the traffic produced by the end-user applications. The adjustment technique is based on the notion that each multimedia session is allowed to operate on a set of discrete application quality levels. A method for monitoring and assessing the end-user perceived quality is presented. The mathematical problem of optimal resource allocation and an associated heuristic are specified. Finally, a specific instantiation of the introduced QoS management architecture on a real testbed is described and experimentation results are presented and evaluated.

Keywords: Application Control, Network Management, QoS

JNSM: Vol. 7, No. 2, 1999 QoS Management by means of Application Control [Vol. 7, No. 2, 1999]

NOTE: only abstract of paper available on-line

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