Method and arrangement for Network QoS

• US 20100280961A1
• Filed: 12/17/2007
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Thyni, Tomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,650,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components

Abstract

Methods and arrangements for service specific configuration of QoS, preferably end-to-end QoS, in a data network by establishing a service specific QoS configuration in a client device. The client device is adapted to be connected to a data network. The data network comprises a service management server. The method comprises the steps of sending a request message comprising a service configuration to the server and receiving an acknowledgement message comprising the service configuration requested by the client device, from the server. The requested service configuration comprises information regarding service specific QoS configuration.

Claims

1. A method in a client device for establishing a service specific QoS configuration, which client device is connected to a data network, which data network comprises a service management server, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a request message to the server, the request message comprising a service configuration request,

receiving an acknowledgement message from the server, the acknowledgement message comprising the service configuration requested by the client device the requested service configuration comprising information regarding the service specific QoS configuration, wherein the service configuration information comprises a destination address being associated to the requested service configuration, and the QoS configuration information in the service configuration information comprises a QoS value being associated to the destination address, and

configuring a service according to the acknowledged service specific QoS configuration information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

sending an offer request message to the server, the offer request message comprising a request for an service configuration offer,

receiving an offer message from the server, the offer message comprising an offer of service specific QoS configuration information,

selecting the offered service specific QoS configuration received from the server, the selected service specific QoS configuration to be used for performing the step of sending a request message to the server.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the network further comprises at least one second server, the method comprising the further steps of:

sending an offer request message to the server and to the second server, the offer request message comprising a request for a service configuration offer,

receiving at least one offer message from any of the server and the at least one second server, each of the at least one received offer messages comprising an offer of service specific QoS configuration information,

selecting one of the at least one offered service specific QoS configuration the selected service specific QoS configuration to be used for performing the step of sending a request message to the server or second server.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the offer request message comprises a configuration request regarding multiple services, and the offer message comprises a respective service configuration for each requested service and each service configuration is service specific.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the request message comprises a configuration request regarding multiple services, the acknowledgement message comprises a respective service configuration for each requested service and each service configuration is service specific.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the destination addresses are Internet Protocol (IP) addresses or Transport Control Protocol User Datagram Protocol (TCP/UDP) destination ports or combinations of IP addresses and TCP/UDP ports.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the client device comprises a service management client (165), and wherein the service management client (165), performs the method steps according to any of the claims 1-6.

8. The method according to claim 1 utilizing Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) signalling.

9. A client device connected to a data network, which data network comprises a service management server, the client device comprising:

a sending unit for sending a request message to the server, the request message comprising a service configuration request, and

a receiving unit for receiving an acknowledgement message from the server, the acknowledgement message comprising the requested service configuration, which requested service configuration comprises information regarding service specific QoS configuration, wherein the service configuration information comprises a destination address being associated to the requested service configuration, and the QoS configuration information comprised in the service configuration information comprises a QoS value being associated to the destination address, and

a configuring unit for configuring the acknowledged service specific QoS configuration.

10. The client device according to claim 9, wherein

the sending unit further is adapted to send an offer request message to the server, the offer request message comprising a request for a service configuration offer, and

the receiving unit further is adapted to receive an offer message from the server, the offer message comprising an offer of service specific QoS configuration information, and

the client device further comprising

a selecting unit adapted to select the offered service specific QoS configuration received from the server.

11. The client device according to claim 9, wherein the network further comprises at least one second service management server, wherein

the sending unit further is adapted to send an offer request message to the server and to the second server, the offer request message comprising a request for a service configuration offer, and

the receiving unit further is adapted to receive at least one offer message from any of the server and the at least one second server, each of the at least one received messages comprising an offer of service specific QoS configuration information,

wherein the arrangement further comprises

a selecting unit adapted to select one of the at least one offered service configuration received from any of the server and the at least one second server.

12. The client device according to claim 9, wherein the client device comprises a service management client for:

sending the offer request message,

receiving the at least one service configuration offer message,

selecting one of the at least one offered service configuration received,

sending the request message and

receiving the acknowledgement message and

configuring the acknowledged service specific QoS.

13. The client device according to claim 12, wherein the service management client is represented by a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol client.

14. A method in a service management server for establishing a service specific QoS configuration, which server is arranged to be comprised in a data network, the data network further comprising an intermediate node, the server being connected to a client device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request message from the client device, the request message comprising a service configuration request,

making a final reservation of the requested service specific QoS service configuration for a service management client in the client device,

sending an acknowledgement message to the client device, the acknowledgement message comprising the final reserved service configuration requested by the client device, which requested service configuration comprises information regarding service specific QoS configuration, wherein the service configuration information comprises a destination address being associated to the requested service configuration, the QoS configuration information comprised in the service configuration information comprising a QoS value being associated to the destination address.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the method further comprises the steps of

receiving an offer request message from the client device the offer request message comprising a service configuration offer request,

obtaining an offer for a service configuration for the requested service configuration,

making a preliminary reservation of the offered service configuration for the client device, the offered service configuration comprising service specific QoS configuration information, and

sending an offer message to the client device, the offer message comprising the offered reserved service specific QoS configuration information.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein the QoS values are associated to QoS categories corresponding to Class of Service information according to Differentiated Services, Type of Service or Ethernet Priority.

17. The method according to claim 14 utilizing DHCP signalling.

18. A service management server 160), which server (160) is arranged to be comprised in a data network, the server being connected to a client device, the server comprising:

a receiving unit for receiving a request message from the client device, the request message comprising a service configuration request,

a reservation unit for making a final reservation of the requested service specific QoS service configuration for a service management client in the client device, and

a sending unit for sending an acknowledgement message to the client device, the acknowledgement message comprising an acknowledgement of the final reserved service specific QoS configuration information, wherein the service specific QoS configuration information comprises a destination address being associated to the requested service configuration, the QoS configuration information comprised in the service configuration information comprising a QoS value being associated to the destination address.

19. The server according to claim 18, wherein

the receiving unit further is adapted to receive an offer request message from the client device, the offer request message comprising a service configuration offer request,

the server further comprises

an obtaining unit adapted to obtain an offer for a service configuration for the requested service configuration,

the reservation unit further is adapted to make a preliminary reservation of the offered service configuration for the client device, the offered service configuration comprising service specific QoS configuration information, and wherein

the sending unit further is adapted to send an offer message to the client device, the offer message comprising the offered reserved service specific QoS configuration information.

20. A method in an intermediate node for establishing a service specific QoS configuration, which intermediate node is comprised in a data network, the node being adapted to be connected to a service management server comprised in the data network and to a client device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an acknowledgement message addressed to the client device, from the server, the acknowledgement message comprising a service configuration requested by the client device the requested service configuration comprising information regarding service specific QoS configuration,

configuring the service according to the acknowledged service specific QoS configuration information, and

sending the received acknowledgement message to the client device, the acknowledgement message comprising the requested service configuration comprising information regarding QoS configuration which configuration is service specific, wherein the service configuration information comprises a destination address being associated to the requested service configuration, the QoS configuration information comprised in the service configuration information comprising a QoS value being associated to the destination address.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein any of the steps of

receiving an acknowledgement message,

configuring the service, and

sending the received acknowledgement message,

is performed by Dynamic Host Control Protocol signalling.

22. An intermediate node comprised in a data network, the node being adapted to be connected to a service management server comprised in the data network and to a client device adapted to be connected to the data network, the intermediate node comprising:

a receiving unit adapted to receive an acknowledgement message addressed to the client device from the server, the acknowledgement message comprising a service configuration requested by the client device, the requested service configuration comprising service specific QoS configuration information,

a configuring unit adapted to configure the service according to the acknowledged service specific QoS configuration information,

a sending unit adapted to send the received acknowledgement message to the client device, the acknowledgement message comprising a requested service configuration the requested service configuration comprising service specific QoS configuration information, wherein the service configuration information comprises a destination address being associated to the requested service configuration, and the QoS configuration information comprised in the service configuration information comprising a QoS value being associated to the destination address.

23. The intermediate node according to claim 22, further comprises a service management agent.

24. The intermediate node according to claim 22, wherein the intermediate node is represented by one of an access node a switch or an edge router.