Network centric quality of service using active network technology

• US 7,561,521 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2004
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Ayyagari, Arun, English, Kent L., Meier, John L., Wang, Guijun
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, BRENDA H
• Application Number:
  US11/008,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20060126504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 370352-358, 370/389, 370/391, 370/392, 370/395.4, 370/395.41, 370/395.43, 370/401, 370/402, 370/232, 370/235, 370/386, 370/395.21, 370/395.42
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5602 Bandwidth control in ATM Networks, e.g. leaky bucket
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for improving network centric quality of service using active network technology are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes controlling how a packet is passed over at least one of the interfaces using a differentiated services portion of a network management architecture, monitoring a request for a Quality of Service (QoS) level from at least one QoS-aware application, and adjusting at least one service rate of packet travel controlled by the differentiated services portion based on at least one of the requested QoS level and an available bandwidth. In an alternate embodiment, the controlling of how a packet is passed over at least one of the interfaces includes using at least one of a queuing discipline, a class, and a filter.

Claims

1. A method of managing a network having a plurality of interfaces, comprising:

controlling how a packet is passed over at least one of the interfaces using a differentiated services portion of a network management architecture;

updating a packet transmit scheduler after a link state change, including;

monitoring a request for a Quality of Service (QoS) level from at least one QoS-aware application, the QoS-aware application to request the QoS level for network connections and report updates of the QoS level;

adjusting at least one service rate of packet travel controlled by the differentiated services portion based on the requested QoS level and an available bandwidth; and

providing a notification of the link state change.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling how a packet is passed over at least one of the interfaces includes using at least one of a queuing discipline, a class, and a filter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting at least one service rate of packet travel includes notifying a kernel portion of a variation in the available bandwidth, and effecting a change in control of the packet rate of travel by the differentiated services portion.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting at least one service rate of packet travel includes scheduling a plurality of service rates using a queuing discipline.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein scheduling a plurality of service rates includes scheduling an expedited forwarding (EF) class for each differentiated services class of expedited forwarding, scheduling a plurality of assured forwarding (AF) classes, and scheduling a best effort (BE) class.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the EF classes have a highest priority, the AF classes have an intermediate priority, and the BE class has a lower priority.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein scheduling a plurality of service rates includes scheduling a guaranteed rate and a maximum rate for each class of a plurality of classes.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying a user-level daemon program of a variation in the available bandwidth.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising changing at least one of a service rate, a queuing discipline, and a filter by the user-level daemon program.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a notification of a link state change includes a broadcast function that uses message tags to indicate data that is being returned in a socket message buffer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting at least one service rate of packet travel controlled by the differentiated services portion includes calling at least one QoS enhanced socket function for QoS provisioning.

12. A method, comprising:

controlling how a packet is passed over a network using a differentiated services portion of a network management architecture;

monitoring network link state;

monitoring a request for a Quality of Service (QoS) level from at least one QoS-aware application;

adjusting at least one service rate of packet travel controlled by the differentiated services portion by mapping a connection to an appropriate QoS provisioning mechanism, the adjustment to the service rate of packet travel based on change in network link state and the requested QoS level and an available bandwidth; and

providing a notification of the change in link state.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein mapping a connection to an appropriate QoS provisioning mechanism includes mapping a connection using a QSocket function configured to create an endpoint for communication.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein mapping a connection to an appropriate QoS provisioning mechanism includes mapping a connection using a QConnect function configured to connect to a specific host and port combination.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein mapping a connection to an appropriate QoS provisioning mechanism includes mapping a connection using a QChange function configured to update a QoS information associated with an existing file descriptor.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein mapping a connection to an appropriate QoS provisioning mechanism includes mapping a connection using a QClose function configured to close an associated file descriptor.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein mapping a connection to an appropriate QoS provisioning mechanism includes mapping a connection using a QAttach function configured to associate an existing socket file descriptor with QoS information.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein mapping a connection to an appropriate QoS provisioning mechanism includes mapping a connection using a QStateUpdateNotification function configured to set a callback function.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein mapping a connection to an appropriate QoS provisioning mechanism includes mapping a connection using a Q Status function adapted configured to retrieve a status information associated with an existing file descriptor.