An optimized QoS scheme for IMS‐NEMO in heterogeneous networks

The network mobility (NEMO) is proposed to support the mobility management when users move as a whole. In IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), the individual Quality of Service (QoS) control for NEMO results in excessive signaling cost. On the other hand, current QoS schemes have two drawbacks: unawareness of the heterogeneous wireless environment and inefficient utilization of the reserved bandwidth. To solve these problems, we present a novel heterogeneous bandwidth sharing (HBS) scheme for QoS provision under IMS‐based NEMO (IMS‐NEMO). The HBS scheme selects the most suitable access network for each session and enables the new coming non‐real‐time sessions to share bandwidth with the Variable Bit Rate (VBR) coded media flows. The modeling and simulation results demonstrate that the HBS can satisfy users' QoS requirement and obtain a more efficient use of the scarce wireless bandwidth. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An Efficient RSVP–Mobile IP Interworking Scheme

During the past years, several attempts have been made to develop functionality for mobility management support and QoS provision in the realm of the IP networks. Since IP was not designed to support such functionality, new protocols have been specified and implemented to tackle these issues. Mobile IP is currently the dominant protocol that allows users to retain connectivity while roaming in IP networks. RSVP (Resource reSerVation Protocol) is a well established protocol for reserving network resources to support QoS requirements. These protocols, when deployed separately, can work quite efficiently. However, if their functionality is combined, several inefficiencies arise in terms of QoS deterioration and misuse of the network resources. To minimize these inefficiencies, we propose a new approach that limits mobility and QoS related network modifications inside the domain, in which a user moves. The deployment of our scheme enhances the network resource usage efficiency, while minimizing the duration of the QoS deterioration experienced after a terminal movement. To quantify the advantages of our proposal, we have developed an analytical and a simulation model that we also present in this paper.     

Quality-of-service signaling for next-generation IP-based mobile networks

We present a novel end-to-end QoS architecture that enables seamless services over heterogeneous wireless access networks. We discuss the main architectural approaches and design issues of mobility-aware QoS signaling in IP networks. Then we introduce a QoS signaling architecture that integrates resource management with mobility management. It is based on a domain resource manager concept and nicely supports various handover types in an integrated approach. In particular, we support anticipated handover with pre-reservation of resources over the old network before the mobile node is attached to the new access point.     

Experiments and enhancements for IP and ATM integration: the IthACIproject

IthACI has been a European project in the ACTS framework concentrating on fast layer 2 forwarding methods for IP traffic based on labeled flow mechanisms. The approach is also known as IP switching and is considered promising for enhancing IP performance. Several flavors of IP switching have been proposed by various vendors (e.g., IP switching by Ipsilon, Tag Switching by Cisco, ARIS by IBM, IPSOFACTO by the NEC), all of them different and not interoperable. IP switching has been adopted by the IETF under the umbrella of multiprotocol label switching (MPLS). Although MPLS has made remarkable progress, a number of issues remain largely open for further investigation. The scope of the IthACI project was to address such issues and propose solutions. The issues addressed were multicast, QoS, resource management, and mobility support in a multicast environment. IthACI conducted both theoretical and experimental work. Three network islands, each based on a different flavor of IP switching, were set-up and the interoperability of these different IP switching/MPLS flavors were investigated and demonstrated     

A resource‐tuned QoS multicast routing protocol

This paper presents a novel framework for quality‐of‐service (QoS) multicast routing with resource allocation that represents QoS parameters, jitter delay, and reliability, as functions of adjustable network resources, bandwidth, and buffer, rather than static metrics. The particular functional form of QoS parameters depends on rate‐based service disciplines used in the routers. This allows intelligent tuning of QoS parameters as functions of allocated resources during the multicast tree search process, rather than decoupling the tree search from resource allocation. The proposed framework minimizes the network resource utilization while keeping jitter delay, reliability, and bandwidth bounded. This definition makes the proposed QoS multicast routing with resource allocation problem more general than the classical minimum Steiner tree problem. As an application of our general framework, we formulate the QoS multicast routing with resource allocation problem for a network consisting of generalized processor sharing nodes as a mixed‐integer quadratic program and find the optimal multicast tree with allocated resources to satisfy the QoS constraints. We then present a polynomial‐time greedy heuristic for the QoS multicast routing with resource allocation problem and compare its performance with the optimal solution of the mixed‐integer quadratic program. The simulation results reveal that the proposed heuristic finds near‐optimal QoS multicast trees along with important insights into the interdependency of QoS parameters and resources.     

Multicast Support in DiffServ Using Mobile Agents

Many multicast applications, such as video‐on‐demand and video conferencing, desire quality of service (QoS) support from an underlying network. The differentiated services (DiffServ) approach will bring benefits for theses applications. However, difficulties arise while integrating native IP multicasting with DiffServ, such as multicast group states in the core routers and a heterogeneous QoS requirement within the same multicast group. In addition, a missing per‐flow reservation in DiffServ and a dynamic join/leave in the group introduce heavier and uncontrollable traffic in a network. In this paper, we propose a distributed and stateless admission control in the edge routers. We also use a mobile agents‐based approach for dynamic resource availability checking. In this approach, mobile agents act in a parallel and distributed fashion and cooperate with each other in order to construct the multicast tree satisfying the QoS requirements.     

Efficient scalable video multicast based on network-coded communication

In order to increase the efficiency of mobile video transmission in a 5G network, this paper investigates a cooperative multicast of scalable video using network coding with adaptive modulation and coding over dedicated relay-based cellular networks. Different scalable video layers prefer different protection degrees, and user equipments (UEs) in different locations experience different packet loss rates in wireless networks. Guaranteeing that all UEs experience a certain level of video quality is one of the biggest challenges in scalable video multicast. Using the number of satisfied UEs as a metric, the proposed efficient scalable video multicast based on network-coded cooperation (SVM-NC) scheme, combined with adaptive modulation and coding, enhances the attainable system performance under strict time and bandwidth resource constraints for guaranteed smooth playback. Various simulations were performed for performance evaluation. The proposed scheme ensures that the expected percentage of satisfied UEs approximately achieves the maximum number of UEs in a multicast group by using network-coded cooperation over dedicated relay-based cellular networks. In addition, the peak signal-to-noise ratio metric is asymptotic to the maximum performance of high-resolution video quality offered by service providers.     

QUASIMODO: quality of service-aware multicasting over DiffServ and overlay networks

Efficient delivery of real-time multicast traffic imposes on the underlying network infrastructure the burden of supporting quality of service. This can be quite a complex issue in a differentiated services IP network, especially if multicast users are allowed to join and leave the multicast tree dynamically. In fact, since DiffServ lacks explicit reservation states, a replicating node cannot test whether a corresponding reservation exists on an output link, and upon a dynamic join of a QoS multicast user, the DiffServ network lacks control functions to verify whether resources are available along the new path. We present a solution to support dynamic multicast with QoS over a DiffServ network. Our solution combines two ideas. First, resource availability along a new QoS path is verified via a probe-based approach. Second, QoS is maintained by marking replicated packets with a special DSCP (differentiated service code point) value before forwarding them on the QoS path.     

System utility based resource allocation for D2D multicast communication in software-defined cellular networks

Device-to-device (D2D) multicast communication is a useful way to improve the communication efficiency of local services. This study considers a scenario of D2D multicast communication in software defined cellular network and investigates the frequency resource allocation problem. Firstly, we build the system model and formulate the optimization problem. Secondly, a hierarchical scheme to achieve a suboptimal solution is proposed. To select appropriate user equipments (UEs) as potential D2D transmitters (PDTs), a social aware PDT selection method is proposed. Then, a resource allocation algorithm considering users’ priorities is proposed. Furthermore, to study the resource allocation for general system that UEs without priorities, a non-priority considered allocation algorithm is proposed also. Numerical simulation results show that the proposed schemes are effective in improving the system utility and reducing the resource consuming for D2D communications.     

FAST: Fuzzy Decision-Based Resource Admission Control Mechanism for MANETs

Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) have inherently dynamic topologies and heterogeneous network environments. Due to the distributed, multi-hop nature of these networks, as well as limited network resource, wireless capacity and random mobility of nodes, Quality of Service (QoS) provisioning faces severe challenges, especially in multicast scenarios. Resource admission control is one of the most effective methods for resource utilization and QoS guaranteed. In this paper, we combine resource admission control technologies and intelligent methods, propose a fuzzy decision-based resource admission control mechanism for MANETs (FAST), which can fast respond to dynamic topology changes and unstable link status. FAST also supports multicast and destination heterogeneity. Users can choose multiple evaluation parameters with different weights of services in fuzzy decision. Simulation results have proved the efficiency of the mechanism.     

A comprehensive resource management framework for next generation wireless networks

We propose an integrated resource management approach that can be implemented in next generation wireless networks that support multimedia services (data, voice, video, etc.). Specifically, we combine the use of position-assisted and mobility predictive advanced bandwidth reservation with a call admission control and bandwidth reconfiguration strategy to support flexible QoS management. We also introduce a mobile agent based framework that can be used to carry out the functions of geolocation and of the proposed resource management in wireless networks. A model is also developed to obtain the optimal location information update interval in order to minimize the total cost of the system operation. The comparison of the achievable performance results of our proposed scheme with the corresponding results of a conventional system that supports advanced bandwidth reservation only, as means of supporting the QoS requirements, demonstrate that our integrated scheme can alleviate the problem of overreservation, support seamless operation throughout the wireless network, and increase significantly the system capacity.     

Managing IP services over a PACS Packet Network

We have developed a system and network architecture to provide IP services in the Personal Access Communications System (PACS). IP datagrams are delivered to PACS users through the PACS packet-mode data service, achieving more efficient usage of wireless resources and supporting multimedia applications such as MBone audio and video. The architecture presented in this article augments the PACS voice network with IP routers and backbone links, called the PACS Packet Network (PPN), and is connected to the global Internet via gateways. Compared to the cellular digital packet data (CDPD) network, which employs its own network-layer mobility protocol and thus supports roaming within the CDPD network only, we have incorporated Mobile IP into the PACS handoff mechanism to further achieve global IP mobility. We have also developed native PACS multicast and a group management scheme to efficiently handle dynamic IP multicast and MBone connectivity. These features seamlessly integrate PACS into the global Internet and provide standard-conforming IP services with global mobility     

IMS网络中基于策略的QoS视频会话研究

为了检验基于策略QoS机制在IP多媒体系统(IMS)中对媒体会话发起的应用情况,在构建的IMS平台上提出视频会话系统方案,并分析了基于策略QoS机制的视频会话发起中存在的问题以及改进建议.     

IPTV QoS adaptation for multi-homed mobile terminals in a new IMS based architecture

With the emergence of multimedia applications that have real constraints, ensuring a satisfying quality of service to mobile users presents a big challenge in heterogeneous wireless networks. In such environment, the asymmetry of the available resources as well as user’s mobility can cause offered QoS degradation. In this paper, we propose the use of the Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) within a QoS adaptive IPTV services in a novel IMS architecture. The multi-homing feature and the partial reliability extension allow improving the network performance and increasing the user satisfaction. In addition, we have proposed an mSCTP based mobility scheme to guarantee service continuity during handover to IPTV users over IMS. The handover decision includes Perceived QoS (PQoS) measurement reflecting the user satisfaction and Media Independent Handover (MIH) information. An analytical study of the time required to perform IPTV adaptation, show that our approach improves the performance by minimizing the delay and maximizing the user satisfaction.     

Optimal partition of QoS requirements on unicast paths andmulticast trees

We investigate the problem of optimal resource allocation for end-to-end QoS requirements on unicast paths and multicast trees. Specifically, we consider a framework in which resource allocation is based on local QoS requirements at each network link, and associated with each link is a cost function that increases with the severity of the QoS requirement. Accordingly, the problem that we address is how to partition an end-to-end QoS requirement into local requirements, such that the overall cost is minimized. We establish efficient (polynomial) solutions for both unicast and multicast connections. These results provide the required foundations for the corresponding QoS routing schemes, which identify either paths or trees that lead to minimal overall cost. In addition, we show that our framework provides better tools for coping with other fundamental multicast problems, such as dynamic tree maintenance     

A novel multicast traffic engineering technique in SDN using TLBO algorithm

In recent years, multicast communication is widely used by network providers to deliver multimedia contents. Quality of service (QoS) provisioning is one of the most important issues while transmitting multimedia contents using multicast. Traditional IP multicasting techniques suffer from reliability, scalability and have limitations to provide appropriate QoS for multimedia applications based on service level agreement (SLA). Nowadays, the advent of software defined networking (SDN), enables network providers to manage their networks dynamically and guarantee QoS parameters for customers based on SLA. SDN provides capabilities to monitor network resources and allows to dynamically configure desired multicasting policies. In this paper, we proposed a novel multicasting technique to guarantee QoS for multimedia applications over SDN. To deliver multimedia contents in an efficient manner, our proposed method models multicast routing as a delay constraint least cost (DCLC) problem. As DCLC problem is NP-Complete, we proposed an approximation algorithm using teaching–learning-based optimization to solve this problem. We evaluated our proposed method under different topologies. Experimental results confirmed that our proposed method outperforms IP multicast routing protocol, and it achieves a gain of about 25% for peak signal-to-noise ratio.     

Mobile flow-aware networks for mobility and QoS support in the IP-based wireless networks

As the volume of mobile traffic consisting of video, voice, and data is rapidly expanding, a challenge remains with the mobile transport network, which must deliver data traffic to mobile devices without degrading the service quality. Since every Internet service holds its own service quality requirements, the flow-aware traffic management in fine granularity has been widely investigated to guarantee Quality of Service (QoS) in the IP networks. However, the mobile flow-aware management has not been sufficiently developed yet because of the inherent constraints of flow routing in the mobile networks regarding flow-aware mobility and QoS support. In this paper, we propose a flow-aware mobility and QoS support scheme called mobile flow-aware network (MFAN) for IP-based wireless mobile networks. The proposed scheme consists of dynamic handoff mechanisms based on QoS requirements per flow to reduce the processing overhead of the flow router while ensuring QoS guarantee to mobile flows. The performance analyses of the proposed scheme demonstrate that MFAN successfully supports the mobile flow traffic delivery while satisfying the QoS requirement of flows in the wireless mobile IP networks.     

Mobility of sources and listeners: real-time support of multicast services

In today??s Internet there is an increasing demand for group-based multimedia sessions, such as video/audio conferencing, IPTV, push media. Moreover, there is an increasing trend for mobile communications, with large network dynamic events, which require fast resilience to keep, as much as possible, sessions alive over time. In this sense, the bandwidth-constrained data transport scheme of IP multicast allows traffic optimization throughout the network. However, current IP multicast support over mobile communications is not efficient, mainly due to the IP addressing scheme and mobility. If multicast sources mobility is taken into account, then the performance of IP multicast is significantly degraded, due to the requirement for constantly changing the overall multicast tree. In this paper we propose a new solution for agent-based multicast in both sources and listeners mobile environments, called MUlticast TEleport (MUTE). MUTE considers the existence of anchor points in the network that provide proxy features, assuming the view of multicast data source inside the network, and establishing independence between listeners and sources movements. Moreover, we propose MUTE extension to efficiently support time-sensitive sessions, which consists in integrating IEEE 802.21 and QoS-aware abstracted transport approach, to allow media independent transport with fast resilience support. The evaluation of MUTE was carried out in NS-2, and the results show that it is able to provide both multicast sources and listeners mobility with decreased disruption time and increased network performance in heterogeneous systems.     

User-aware object-based video transmission over the next generation Internet

In this paper, we present a new user-aware adaptive object-based video transmission approach to heterogeneous users over the next generation Internet. Firstly, we describe a new transport framework for complex multimedia applications over the next generation Internet, which provides differentiation functionality within one IP session as well as among different IP sessions. It includes application-aware intelligent resource control at the edge of the network, fast transcoding and signaling in the network. Secondly, we propose a new bitstream classification, prioritization and packetization scheme in which different types of data such as shape, motion and texture are reassembled, assigned to different priority classes, and packetized separately based on their priorities. Thirdly, we present a simple but effective mechanism of object-based dynamic rate control and adaptation by selectively dropping packets in conjunction with differentiated services (Diffserv) to minimize the end-to-end quality distortion. Finally, we perform the queuing analysis for our mechanism and explore how to extend our approach to the multicast case. Experimental results demonstrate effectiveness of our proposed approach.