Next Generation Networks Architecture and Layered

End-to-End QoS Control1

Weijia Jia, Bo Han, Ji Shen and Van Fu

Department of Computer Science

City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong
wjia@cs.cityu.edu.hk

Abstract. Next-generation network (NGN) is a new concept and becoming

important for future telecommunications networks. This paper illustrates five
function layers of NGN architecture and discusses some end-to-end QoS
(quality of service) for NGN (called NGNQoS) as: (1) One Application Layer
that supports SIP protocol; (2) Network Control Layer that aims at overcoming
the bottleneck problem at edge nodes or servers for end-to-end admission
control; (3) Adaptation Layer that supports different network configurations
and mobility; (4) Network Transmission Layer that provides end-to-end QoS
controls for real-time communications through integrating DiffServ and MPLS
and (5) Management Layer that provides Web-based client-server GUI browser
and wireless information connection.

1 Introduction

Next-generation network (NGN) is a new concept commonly used by network

designers to depict their vision of future telecommunications networks. Various views
on NGN have been expressed by operators, manufacturers and service providers.
NGN seamlessly blends the end-to-end QoS into the public switched telephone
network (PSTN) and the public switched data network (PSDN), creating a single
multi-service network. Rather than large, centralized, proprietary switch
infrastructures. Next-generation architecture pushes central core functionality to the
edge of the network. The result is a distributed network infrastructure that leverages
new, open technologies to reduce the cost of market entry dramatically, and to
increase flexibility, and to accommodate both circuit-switched voice and packet-
switched data. The integrated services will bring communication market billions of
incomes, however, the R&D for NGN still lack behind of the actual demands of the
society [1]. On the other hand, the architecture of the Internet and IP-based networks
is rapidly evolving towards one where service-enablement, reliability and scale
become paramount. Dynamic IP routing supported by routing protocols such as
OSPF, IS-IS and BGP provides the basic internetworking function while confronting

1 The work is supported by Research Grant Council (RGC) Hong Kong, SAR China, under grant nos.:
CityU 1055/00E and CityU 1039/02E and CityU Strategic grant nos. 7001709.
the dual challenges of greater scale and faster convergence. Many providers are
looking to a converged packet switch network (PSN) future based on IP/MPLS and
they seek a way to converge many networks into one to reduce costs and expand
service reach. The transport layer protocols including TCP and SCTP continues to be
an area of active research as developers seek optimal application throughput and
resilience. IP QoS as defined by IntServ and DiffServ continues to evolve and
interesting efforts are underway to enhance QoS signaling for wire line and wireless
networks.
The challenges and opportunities associated with a fundamental transformation of
current networks toward a multi-service ubiquitous infrastructure with a unified
control and management architecture have been discussed in BellSouth Science &
Technol., Atlanta, GA, USA [2], in which, the outline of the fundamental reasons why
neither the control infrastructure of the PSTN nor that of the present-day Internet is
adequate to support the myriad of new services in NGN. Although NGN will inherit
heavily from both the Internet and the PSTN, its control and management architecture
is likely to be radically different from both, and will be anchored on a clean
separation between a QoS-enabled transport/network domain and an object-oriented
service/application domain, with a distributed processing environment that glues
things together and universally addresses issues of distribution, redundancy, and
concurrency control for all applications.
This paper presents NGN architecture and discusses some end-to-end QoS for
NGN. In Sec 2, a survey for NGN is given and the five layers architecture of NGN is
illustrated in Sec 3. Some end-to-end QoS issues of NGN are described in Sec 4 and
we conclude in the final section.

2 Survey of NGN: Research and Development

Lucent proposed next-generation networks with various venues, expanding the

boundaries [3]. The basis of this proposal is that the coordination of feature
interactions in NGN can be served well with the use of semaphores. A feature
semaphore is associated with each zone of a call session, and these semaphores
become part of the user's per call data. Telcordia Technol in NJ, USA [4] proposed
next generation networks (NGNs) that support a variety of communications services
(data, video, and voice) seamlessly. Customers will demand that these networks be
highly reliable as more and more traffic and services use them. Because of the
historically exceptional reliability of wire-line voice telephony, the reliability of voice
services supported by NGN voice over packet (VOP) necessitates special attention in
order to achieve the customer satisfaction of the service.
In South Koera, KT is considering the installation of NGN backbone network with
IP Router. KT is now testing packet delay, loss and jitter in their test bed. QoS
discussions on whether the IP router satisfies the forthcoming NGN customers who
use basic application of NGN still remain. QoS values as packet delay, packet loss
and jitter are measured and analyzed at the KT-NGN test bed, and are compared with
the ITU-T QoS recommendation values [5, 6].
In Slovenia, Iskratel Ltd. is a company with of telecommunications with the latest
product SI2000 with the basic functions, data and interfaces included in the
management node software, which manages various network elements of the SI2000
product line [7] in which data and voice will share a common packet-switched
network. The major drawbacks of the current NGN implementations that are based on
those services are investigated. A new element in the NGN architecture is proposed,
called multi-service mediator (MSM) and an interworking scenario with other
currently defined NGN elements is described, especially with the softswitch [8].
Some German companies discuss QoS from a somewhat unconventional point of
view and argue that high availability is a key ingredient in QoS perceived by the user.
High availability with extremely short interruptions in case of failure is needed for
acceptable QoS in real-time dialog services such as telephony or video conferencing
and an even distribution of the traffic load over the network is essential to ensure the
efficient network utilization given that some kind of admission control for QoS traffic
has to be in place for overload avoidance [9].
Alcatel (France) proposes the NGN multimedia network structure and its business
model with four players involved in charging: access provider, connection provider,
telecommunication service provider, and value-added service provider. Often
charging components must be correlated to create a clear postpaid bill and ensure
correct treatment of prepaid accounts, as well as settlement between the providers
involved. If charging is to remain a prime competitive tool in next-generation
networks, it must be functionally intelligent and flexible, and able to optimize
operator and service provider revenues while providing a fair policy toward the end
users [10]. A prototype for a service platform for the next-generation network is also
described, targeted at offering services in fixed and mobile networks using NGN
principles, and focused primarily on the architecture of the core IP-UMTS network
based on current 3GPP specifications [11]. France Telecom R&D presented a generic
functional architecture to help people to identify functions needed to deliver different
type of services, with different QoS levels and constraints using a NGN DSL network
[12]. IP Differentiated Services have been discussed in Alcatel Network Strategy
Group, Antwerp, Belgium and is widely seen as the framework to provide quality of
service in the Internet in a scalable fashion. However many issues have still not been
fully addressed, such as the way per-hop behaviors can be combined to provide end-
to-end services; the specification of admission control and resource reservation
mechanisms; and the role of management plane functionality and its integration with
the control and data planes.
A team group at NTT, Tokyo, Japan has considered connectionless network is
more suitable than connection-oriented network where voice over IP (VoIP)
technologies are becoming practical. Call agents are being developed for the next
generation network, called NGN-CA. NGN-CA provides OpenAPI, which is
standardized application programmer interface to control various network elements.
Although various applications using OpenAPI are written, ordinary call agent
supports only one OpenAPI because there is difference among call models of
OpenAPIs. A call model has been proposed combining multiple OpenAPIs. Various
applications written in different OpenAPIs can be installed on the implementation and
these applications can provide services on a call simultaneously [14].
 Centre for Telecommunication in South Africa, University of Witwatersrand
proposed the use of the TINA retailer and accounting management architecture as the
basis for usage accounting in the NGN [15]. Three computational objects, namely the
accountable object, the metering manager and the accounting policy manager, are
used. A CORBA-based distributed processing environment (DPE) enables the TINA
components to be deployed in a non-TINA NGN environment. Service components
and computational objects used in the TINA accounting management are described.
In UK, next generation IP-based networks that offering QoS guarantees by
deploying technologies such as DiffServ and MPLS for traffic engineering and
network-wide resource management have been proposed. The discussion includes the
following aspects: emerging service level agreements (SLAs) and service level
specifications (SLSs) for the subscription to QoS-based services; management
protocols for off-line service negotiation and signaling mechanisms for the dynamic
invocation of service instances; approaches for the derivation of a traffic matrix based
on subscribed SLAs/SLSs and monitoring data; algorithms for off-line traffic
engineering and provisioning through MPLS or through plain IP routing with QoS
extensions; algorithms for dynamic resource management to deal with traffic
fluctuations outside the predicted envelope; a policy-based overall framework for
traffic engineering and service management. Finally, ongoing work towards inter-
domain QoS provisioning is presented [16]. The base issue of NGN trials on Russian
public networks is interoperability testing of foreign equipment and adapted to the
specific of Russian networks, domestic NGN system SAPFIR. Results of these NGN
trials will be used for the development of the “NGN Evolution Concept” for the
Russian public networks [17].
Beijing Univ. of Posts & Telecom., China, discussed that the NGN should provide
end-to-end QoS solutions to users and analyzed QoS problems of wireless broadband
applications in next generation mobile communications system, sets up a QoS index
evaluation model, and presents an adaptive QoS paradigm for wireless broadband
applications on NGN. A media negotiation mechanism in soft-switch based NGN is
presented. The central point of this solution is to dynamically adjust the bandwidth
occupation property of media connection belonging to certain sessions, reserve
resource for the sessions, thus guarantee QoS. A variety of solutions are stated
considering different soft-switch architecture and different types of sessions [18-20].
3 Overall NGN Architecture

NGNQoS can be described from five layers: (1) Application layer that contains the
typical middleware for authorization, accounting, directory, browser, search and
navigation of the information for millions of users where we focus on SIP protocol;
(2) Network control layer aims at overcoming the bottleneck problem at edge nodes
or servers and it composes a series of control agents for admission control, call setup,
end-to-end QoS control and application flows through available bandwidth detection
and distributed incomplete local information control, class priority and intelligent
scheduling. Multicast and anycast group managements will be implemented to
leverage the load for the admission control or service/message distributions; (3)
Adaptation layer that supports different network configurations and mobility. It
provides soft switching between different network on different level such as IPv4,
IPv6, ATM, Ethernet, WLAN, WMAN and 3G networks, the layer supports both

Fig. 1. NGN Network Architectures

packet and circuit switching and provides interconnection between the two switching
networks protocols; (4) Network Transmission Layer that provides the effective end-
to-end QoS controls for the real-time requests and flows through integration of
parameterized QoS control and QoS class priority control, i.e., the DiffServ
application to guarantee end-to-end delay with efficient routing algorithms for anycast
and multicast etc.. This is particularly important to resolve the bottleneck problems as
multipath routing enables the multiple choices for the path and anycast routing
enables the selection to different (replicated) server thus reducing the bottleneck
problems and (5) Management layer that provides Web-based client-server GUI
browser and wireless information connection such as the access to the data using
XML and Web-based visualization for data presentation, monitoring, modification
and decision making on NGN. The IP telecommunication network architecture and
software layer architecture are shown in Fig. 1 (see http://www.huawei.com) in which
Bearer Control Layer and Logical Bearer Network together perform network control.

Applications:

wireless information browser, accessing, updating,

SIP based multimedia communications, directory,

Management: Web-based client-server GUI or

browser, Search and navigation,
Client-server viewer and browser-viewer

Visualization and presentation

Network control: Distributed Admission Control
End-to-end QoS control,
Available bandwidth detection for resource
allocations based on local information

Adaptation: supports different network

configurations and mobility: supports soft
switching for packet and circuit switching between
IPv4, IPv6, ATM, Ethernet, WLAN, WMAN and

Physical Layer

Fig. 2. Layered functions of NGNQoS

4 Layered End-to-End QoS

This section describes the details of each layer and their functions for end-to-end QoS
services. Note that we do not intend to give all the functions for NGN layer but give
some important QoS services and introduce our designs and algorithms.

4.1. Application Layer: SIP

Application layer contains typical middleware for authorization, accounting,
directory, browser, search and navigation of information for millions of users. Web
services have been discussed extensively; however, there are not many discussions
about application end-to-end service on the NGN architecture, especially with
mobility and multimedia transmissions support. In this subsection, we only focus on a
prototype of wired and wireless QoS service using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)
[24]. SIP is an application layer signaling protocol standardized by IETF (Internet
Engineering Task Force), which is used for managing multimedia sessions among
different parties. An example on existing popular signaling protocols is H.323 [23].
The principle role of SIP is to set up sessions or associations between two or more
end users. Sessions initiated can be used to exchange the various types of media data
using appropriate protocols such as RTP, RSTP and so on. It can carry out bi-
directional authentication and capability negotiation. SIP is simple and extensible. It
accepts complementary information inserted as SIP payload for other applications.
Currently, SIP is able to set up a call carrying the information of a more detailed
multimedia session using protocols as the Session Description Protocol (SDP) [21].
By using of adaptive protocol, the selection mechanism is achieved for applying the
most suitable communication protocol for end user devices adaptively during
connection without any interruption and disconnection [22]. SIP is a control protocol
for establishing media sessions. A session can be a simple two-way telephone calls or
a collaborative multi-media conference session. The ability to establish these sessions
means that a host of innovative services become possible for IP Centrex services such
as video conferencing. The application layer SIP implementations may integrate
wired and wireless networks based on NGN architecture.
Little work is done to enable end-to-end QoS multimedia transmission of hybrid of
wired and wireless with SIP. We have implemented a prototype of wireless service
using SIP based end-to-end multimedia transmission system for real time and non-real
time video/audio communications, called AnyServer as shown in Fig. 3. To achieve
SIP based end-to-end multimedia transmissions, SIP is not only used for call setup
signaling, but also carries information for session making in adaptive protocol
selection mechanism. SIP carries an SDP packet describing an audio or video session,
indicating supported communication protocols and end terminals capabilities
exchange. QoS requirements of applications and session ID are used for user
identification of multi-parties communications in video-conferencing. To select the
most suitable protocol for adapting different situations intelligently during a
connection, data buffering service is provided such that media data flows must
transmit between end users. In this way, end users can communicate among the others
at their best acceptable QoS level without any interruption and disconnection.
Currently, we are integrating AnyServer with NGN and wireless networks to provide
multi-point end-to-end QoS applications such as video conferencing. Four major
functions constitutes of the following system as User Agent in client device, SIP
Proxy Server, Database Server and Agent Server to form the heterogeneous wireless
and Internet services [32, 35].

Fig. 3 SIP based end-to-end multimedia transmission system for integrated wired
and wireless networks
4.2. Network Control Layer
Network control layer composes of a series of control agents for distributed admission
control (DAC), call setup and application flows through available bandwidth
detection and distributed incomplete local information control, class priority and
intelligent scheduling. We discuss the layer based on the following functions:
(1) Traffic classification for incoming requests: This function is performed by
scheduler agent that exam the legal incoming requests and make classifications in
terms of delay sensitive or VIP traffic. For those VIP/delay sensitive requests, the
requests may be tagged with “gold” or “green”, “yellow” or “red (best effort)” tags.
Then the classified traffic will be processed through admission control agents (or the
admission nodes). To avoid any unnecessary delay, the scheduler and the admission
control agents normally reside on the same site. By this tagging approach, the internet
and telecommunication tasks can be classified and treated properly as detailed in the
end-to-end QoS design.
(2) Admission control: We have designed admission control algorithms which
performs bandwidth detection and connection control. Bandwidth detection enables
the approximate network resource to be detected in case that the networks are
managed by different administrates or involved in heterogeneous networks. Based on
the available bandwidth detections information and class priority for incoming
requests, our distributed admission control algorithms with deal with for admissions
for a large number of user connection requests to enhance the scalability and the
admission probability by distributing the admission control nodes and the replicating
the service nodes. A cooperative distributed approach can be implemented at the some
board NGN admission nodes [36] and we give a brief discussion of admission control
algorithm for anycast flows below.
Anycast flow is a flow which may connect to any destination in a target group. We
consider anycast flow as a general flow concept because the anycast flow may be a
unicast flow if the group only has one destination or multicast flows when the flow
must be sent to every destination in the group. We first consider the destination
selection issue. Destination selection determines which destination the anycast flow
should be sent to. A good selection will bring better chance for the flow to be
admitted. We propose several weight assignment algorithms based on available
information such as route distance and available bandwidth. Different status
information surely impacts differently on the network performance in terms of
admission probability, overhead, and compatibility as illustrated below:
(1) Weighted destination selection based on the static route distance information
[27, 36]: The admission control routers/servers may apply even weight assignments
for the destination selection if none of the information is available. For one source,
there is one route to a member in an anycast group. The length of the route may be
easy to obtain via the current routing protocols [28, 29]. In this scenario, the dynamic
information of network may not be available. The differences of route distances
reflect the different resource consumption by the anycast flow. Intuitively, the flow to
destinations with shorter distances will consume less bandwidth. A flow with short
route distance will consume fewer resources. Hence a smart destination selection
algorithm should prefer destinations with short route distances.
(2) Weight assignment based on local admission history: The local admission
history may be defined as a log that records the successfulness of selecting individual
destinations in admission control. Let Hi record the number of the continual failures
in the most recent admission history. For example, Hi =3 implies that for the last three
times when destination i was selected in admission control process, there was
insufficient bandwidth and resource reservation (to be discussed later) return failure.
We propose a destination selection algorithm to combine both route distance and local
admission history information. Given that this weight assignment algorithm uses both
the route distance and local admission history, we expect that the admission
probability will be higher than that of some static algorithm.
(3) Weighted Assignment based on available bandwidth: Local admission history
may not accurately reflect the network dynamic status. We may use the approach
illustrated in Sec. 4.2.1 to detect the available bandwidth for use of admission control.
Resource Reservation can be made by some standard protocols such as RSVP [30]
or to check the availability of link bandwidth along the route based on approach
illustrated before. We have extended our anycast admission control protocol [36] to
include the bandwidth available information report.

4.3. Adaptation Layer

This layer provides soft-switching between different networks on different levels
such as IPv4, IPv6, ATM, Ethernet, WLAN, WMAN or 3G networks which supports
both packet and circuit switching and provides soft-switching between the
heterogeneous networks. The layer can be divided into the following major functions:
(1) Soft switching between IPv4 and IPv6 using tunneling techniques carried out
by edge routers of the subnet between the networks.
(2) ATM and convergence sub-layers merge the ATM cells to IP packets of
WLAN and WMAN networks.
(3) Soft switching between ITU H.323/H.324 protocols to handle the circuit/packet
switching.
We have implemented efficient transformation of 3G-324M standards for 3G
wireless communications [37]. Fast transformation between circuit switching
networks to packet switching networks are under development. We are currently
using some new algorithms for the connections of wireless networks such as WLAN,
WMAN and 3G and implementing the multimedia transmission channel for 3G circuit
switching based on 3G-324M standards. The major feature of softawitching is to
multiplex the circuit based frames into packets to enable TCP/IP transmissions [37].

4.4. Network Transmission Layer

In this layer, we focus on the discussions of Differentiated Service and Multi-Protocol
Label Switching and their related end-to-end issues.

4.4.1 Differentiated service

Differentiated Service (DiffServ) architecture achieves scalability by aggregating
traffic classification state and it is scalable, which is conveyed by means of IP-layer
packet marking use of DiffServ field (or DSCP--codepoint) [22]. Packets are
classified and marked to receive a particular per-hop forwarding behavior on nodes
along their path. Sophisticated classification, marking, policing, and shaping
operations need only be implemented at network boundaries or hosts.
 The major advantage using DiffServ is that the Internet flows can be differentiated
from the telecommunication flows by the board routers that may deal them with
different QoS requirements. This is particularly useful for NGNQoS. We designed
some special devices called network mapping (NM) that maps user’s QoS
requirement into service level agreements, SLA contract between customer and
Internet service provider (ISP). Network resources are allocated to traffic streams by
service provisioning policies which govern how traffic is marked and conditioned
upon entry to a differentiated services-capable network, and how that traffic is
forwarded within that network. A wide variety of services can be implemented on top
of these building blocks. The admission control can be integrated with MPLS and
DiffServ architectures for the end-to-end QoS solutions, particularly the
implementations of controls for end-to-end delay bound, jitter and loss rate. Fig. 5
shows the block diagram of a classifier and traffic conditioner. Note that a traffic
conditioner may not necessarily contain all the four elements. For example, in the
case where no traffic profile is in effect, packets may only pass through a classifier
and a marker.

Fig. 4 Logical View of a Packet Classifier and Traffic Conditioner

To achieve the scalability and QoS for the DiffServ flows, we have designed a
generalized regulator to provide an adaptive traffic control mechanism for very high
rate real-time aggregated flows, especially, for those traffic that have been marked as
red. Normally, three classes of traffic flows (green, yellow and red) in DiffServ
network are defined in [23, 24] and we are interested in the deterministic delay bound
for the real-time flows which may be marked as red/yellow but do require the
stringent delay requirements. We assume that a real-time flow has the priority over
the non real-time traffic in the network during transmissions. The generalized
regulator, based on the extended network calculus, is developed for the purpose of
effective control of high rate of aggregate flows with QoS requirements as detailed in
[38].

4.4.2 Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)

In MPLS, packets are encapsulated at ingress points. The local significant labels,
which are short and fixed-length, are used in the headers of encapsulated packets. The
packets are forwarded via Label Switching Routers (LSRs) by label swapping. An
explicit path for each connection is called Label Switched Path (LSP). A reservation
protocol is required to establish a LSP through a network.
MPLS is intended to work over any data link layer technology including ATM,
Ethernet and SONET. MPLS networks usually refer to IP networks with MPLS and
inherit the advantages of connection-oriented networks and the flexibility of
connectionless networks. They provide QoS guaranteed services with a lower
computational complexity and operational costs, compared IP networks with ATM
connectivity structure. The most important advantage of MPLS networks is that they
can perform the traffic engineering for load balancing, which is able to improve the
network performance in a long run.
However, since a QoS guaranteed path has to be established for each connection,
the total operational overhead of MPLS is not scalable to the network size. Traffic
engineering (TE) is in general the process of specifying the manner in which traffic is
treated within a given network. TE has both user- and system-oriented objectives
[23]. Users expect certain performance from the network, which in turn should
attempt to satisfy these expectations. The expected performance depends on the type
of traffic the network carries, and is specified in the SLA contract between customer
and ISP. The network operator, on the other hand, should attempt to satisfy the user
traffic requirements. Hence, the target is to accommodate as many traffic requests as
possible by optimally using the available network resources.
Although the concept of TE does not depend on specific layer 2 technologies,
MPLS is a suitable mechanism to provide it. MPLS allows sophisticated routing
control capabilities as well as QoS resource management techniques to be introduced
into IP networks. End-to-end QoS based on MPLS should offer a variety of QoS
levels ranging from those with explicit, hard performance guarantees for bandwidth,
loss, and delay characteristics down to low-cost services based on best-effort traffic,
with a range of services receiving qualitative traffic assurances occupying the middle
ground. The following functional architectures are important:
1. Dynamic Route Management (DRM): DRM is responsible for managing the
routing processes in the network according to the guidelines produced by admission
device (AD) on routing traffic according to QoS requirements associated with such
traffic (contracted Service Level Aggrements--SLA). This function is responsible
mainly for managing the parameters based on which the selection of one of the
established LSPs is effected in the network, with the purpose of load balancing. It
receives as input the set of ERPs (multiple Explicates Route Paths per source-
destination pair) defined by NM and relies on appropriate network state updates
distributed by the DRM function. In addition, it informs AD, by sending notifications,
of over utilization of the defined paths so that appropriate actions are taken (e.g.,
creation of new paths/channels). In this approach, the functionality of the BRM is
distributed at the network border routers/edges. In MPLS-based TE the LSP
bandwidth is implicitly allocated through link scheduling parameters along the
topology of the LSPs, while traffic conditioning enforced at an ingress router is used
to ensure that input traffic is within its defined capacity.
2. Bearer Resource Management (BRM): With all the implementations as
discussed before, BRM has distributed functionality, with an instance attached to each
NGN node/router. This component aims to ensure that link capacity is appropriately
distributed between the PHBs sharing the link. It does this by setting buffer and
scheduling parameters according to AD directives, constraints, and rules, and taking
into account actual experienced load as compared to required (predicted) resources
illustrated before. Additionally, BRM attempts to resolve any resource contention that
may be experienced while enforcing different per hop behavior (PHB). It does this at
a higher level than the scheduling algorithms located in the routers themselves. DRM
gets estimates of the required resources for each PHB from AD such as bandwidth
detection, and it is allowed to dynamically manage resource reservations within
certain constraints, which are also defined by AD. For example, the constraints may
indicate the effective resources required to accommodate a certain quantity of
unexpected dynamic SLA invocations. Compared to AD, BRM operates on a
relatively short timescale. BRM manages two main resources: link bandwidth and
buffer space.
(1) Link bandwidth: AD determines the bandwidth required on a link to meet the QoS
requirements conveyed in the SLA. BRM translates this information into scheduling
parameters, which are then used to configure link schedulers in the routers. These
parameters are subsequently managed dynamically, according to actual load
conditions, to resolve conflicts for physical link bandwidth and avoid starving of such
bandwidth for the enforcement of some PHBs.
(2) Buffer space: Appropriate management of the buffer space allows packet loss
probabilities to be controlled. The buffers also provide a bound on the largest delay
that successfully transmitted packets may experience. Buffer allocation schemes in
the router dictate how buffer space is split between contending flows and when
packets are dropped. According to the constraints imposed by AD for the QoS
parameters associated with the traffic of a given PHB, BRM sets the buffer space and
determines the rules for packet dropping in the routers. The drop levels need to be
managed as the traffic mix and volume changes. For example, altering the bandwidth
allocated to an LSP may alter the bandwidth allocated for the correct enforcement of a
corresponding PHB. If the loss probability for the PHB is to remain constant, the
allocated buffer space may need to change. BRM also triggers AD when
network/traffic conditions are such that its algorithms are no longer able to operate
effectively. For example, link partitioning is causing lower-priority/best effort traffic
to be throttled due to excessive high-priority traffic and these conditions cannot be
resolved within the constraints previously defined by AD.

4.5. Management Layer (plane)

This layer provides Web-based client-server GUI browser and wireless information
connection such as the access to the data using XML. Web-based visualization
presentation is critical for the management of NGNQoS for data presentation,
monitoring, modification and decision making. Network management is an
indispensable building block in our proposed NGN architecture. NGN management
layer contains the management functionality relating to QoS, security and network
management. There are five levels in NGN Management Layer as (1) fault-
management level, (2) configuration level, (3) accounting level, (4) performance level
and (5) security level. Effective management of the NGN is becoming the key to the
successful competition and continued growth. To efficiently design and implement
NGN Management Layer should deal with the wide variety of challenges such as:
1. Scalability to manage small to large networks;
2. Interoperability of multi-vendor networks under one roof;
3. Carrier’s Operation Expenditure (OPEX) control to increase network
efficiency and hence be more competitive;
4. Deployment and automatic provisioning of millions of lines;
5. Customer satisfaction through reliable and highly available QoS.
Based on a modular concept of element management, domain management and
applications, we have designed the NGN Management Layer that fully support day-
to-day operation, administration and maintenance tasks, network configuration and
service provisioning - including mass deployment for China Mobile (FoShan).
Moreover, using of open interfaces for easy integration could round off the
functionality of the NGN Management. We also plan to integrate NGN Management
Layer into the web environment, into cross-domain management systems and into the
business processes of the network operator.
Through recent advances in WWW and Database Management System (DBMS)
technology, the best features of both technologies can be combined to provide
client/server DBMS applications over the Internet. The result is Web-Based
Client/Server (WBCS) computing, which sends and receives dynamic data over the
Internet by creating HyperText Mark-up Language (HTML) files on the fly. Almost
all major DBMS vendors offer proprietary means to put dynamic data on the web.
Third-party tools are now much more abundant and open in nature, allowing use of
WBCS applications to access data from various major DBMS brands. Even certain
operating systems have built-in WBCS development tools. Most, if not all, of these
tools provide a generic, yet customizable gateway between the web server and the
DBMS, eliminating much tedious coding. WBCS computing uses a typical web
browser to access and manipulate dynamic information, stored in a centrally
controlled DBMS, over the Internet. This is an alternative to the current client/server
model, in which a custom-written graphical user. Interface (GUI) application accesses
and manipulates dynamic information stored in a DBMS using proprietary
communication software. WBCS generates HTML pages on the fly to provide the
latest information via WWW. Moreover, we aim at the design and implementation of
NGN Management Layer with the following features:
1. Scalability: Configurations from a single machine to powerful server-client
architecture;
2. Modular and open architecture: Providing a flexible, modular and open
client/server architecture based on NGN layering concept;
3. Graphical User Interface (GUI): Providing a task-oriented graphical user
interface which offers the same “Look and Feel” as Microsoft Windows;
4. Carrier-grade FCAPS function: The FCAPS (fault-management,
configuration, accounting, performance, and security) functions of the NGN
Management Layer provide fast fault analysis, qualification of subscriber lines and
performance data as input for SLA agreements;
5. Mass provisioning support: Special automatic mass provisioning procedures
are available. Used from external network planning systems via XML interfaces, this
layer deliver ultra-fast service activation times for new subscribers;
6. Automated supervision: Automated functions such as auto discovery,
scheduled software download, automatic export of alarm history or performance log
help operators to supervise more efficiently;
7. Easy integration with external OSS: CORBA, SNMP interfaces, as well as
file-type interfaces based on ASCII and XML, are available to allow integration into
any end-to-end OA&M process.
5 Conclusions

We have discussed some important design issues for the next generation architecture
and different layers of end-to-end QoS services. The issues of NGNQoS presented
here are not exhaustive; however, the most functions presented are drawn from our
design and implementation experiences. The future work will tackle with the cross
layer protocols that can harness the heterogeneous networks across Internet,
telecommunication and wireless networks. We are currently focusing on the
implementations of cross layer/platform of packet switching and circuit switching for
3G wireless networks.

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