Method and arrangement for network QoS

• US 8,650,294 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2007
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Thyni, Tomas
• Primary Examiner(s): BILGRAMI, ASGHAR H
• Application Number:
  US12/808,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20100280961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,248 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225, 709/220, 709/226
• US Class Current: 709/225
• 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 configuration of end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS), wherein the client device is connected to a data network and supports a plurality of different services, and wherein the data network includes a service management server, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a request message to the service management server, the request message comprising a service configuration request for one of the plurality of services selected by the client device;

receiving an acknowledgement message from the service management server, the acknowledgement message comprising the service configuration requested by the client device and information regarding the service specific end-to-end QoS configuration for the selected service, wherein the service configuration information from the service management server comprises a destination address being associated with the requested service configuration, and the end-to-end QoS information in the service configuration information from the service management server comprises a QoS value for the selected service being associated with the destination address and to any intermediate node in the data network between the client device and the destination address; and

configuring the selected service in the client device according to the QoS value from the service management server, thereby enabling the selected service to have service specific end-to-end QoS configuration starting from the client device, continuing at an intermediate node, and ending at the destination address.

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

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

receiving an offer message from the service management server, the offer message comprising an offer of service specific configuration of end-to-end QoS for the selected service; and

selecting the offered service specific configuration of end-to-end QoS received from the service management server, the selected service specific configuration of end-to-end QoS to be used for performing the step of sending a request message to the service management 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 service management server and to the second server, the offer request message comprising a request for a service configuration offer for the selected service;

receiving at least one offer message from any of the service management server and the at least one second server, each of the at least one received offer message comprising an offer of service specific configuration of end-to-end QoS for the selected service; and

selecting one of the at least one offered service specific configuration of end-to-end QoS, the selected service specific configuration of end-to-end QoS to be used for performing the step of sending a request message to the service management server or the 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 specific configuration for each requested service.

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

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the destination address is an Internet Protocol (IP) address or a Transport Control Protocol User Datagram Protocol (TCP/UDP) destination port or a combination of the IP address and the TCP/UDP port.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the client device comprises a service management client, and the service management client performs the method steps according to claim 1.

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

9. A client device connected to a data network and supporting a plurality of different services, the data network comprising a service management server, the client device comprising:

a sending unit for sending a request message to the service management server, the request message comprising a service configuration request for one of the plurality of services selected by the client device;

a receiving unit for receiving an acknowledgement message from the service management server, the acknowledgement message comprising the requested service configuration and information regarding service specific end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS) configuration for the selected service, wherein the service configuration information from the service management server comprises a destination address being associated with the requested service configuration, and the end-to-end QoS information in the service configuration information from the service management sever comprises a QoS value for the selected service being associated with the destination address and to an intermediate node in the data network between the client device and the destination address; and

a configuring unit for configuring the selected service in the client device according to the QoS value from the service management server, thereby enabling the selected service to have service specific end-to-end QoS configuration starting from the client device, continuing at any intermediate node, and ending at the destination address.

10. The client device according to claim 9, wherein

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

and

the receiving unit is further adapted to receive an offer message from the service management server, the offer message comprising an offer of service specific configuration of end-to-end QoS for the selected service; and

the client device further comprising;

a selecting unit adapted to select the offered service specific configuration of end-to-end QoS received from the service management server, the selected service specific configuration of end-to-end QoS to be used for sending the request message to the service management server.

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

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

and

the receiving unit is further adapted to receive at least one offer message from any of the service management server and the at least one second server, each of the at least one received offer message comprising an offer of service specific configuration of end-to-end QoS for the selected service; and

wherein the client device further comprises;

a selecting unit adapted to select one of the at least one offered service specific configuration end-to-end QoS received from any of the service management server and the at least one second server, the selected service specific configuration of end-to-end QoS to be used for sending the request message to the service management server or the second server.

12. The client device according to claim 11, 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 specific configuration received;

sending the request message;

receiving the acknowledgement message; and

configuring the selected service with the 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 in a data network for establishing a service specific configuration of end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS), the data network further comprising an intermediate node, the service management server being connected to a client device that supports a plurality of different services, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request message from the client device, the request message comprising a service configuration request for one of the plurality of services selected by the client device;

making a reservation of the requested service specific end-to-end QoS configuration for a service management client in the client device; and

sending an acknowledgement message to the client device, the acknowledgement message comprising the reserved service configuration requested by the client device and information regarding service specific end-to-end QoS configuration for the selected service, wherein the service configuration information from the server comprises a destination address being associated with the requested service configuration, and the end-to-end QoS information in the service configuration information from the server comprising a QoS value for the selected service being associated with the destination address and to any intermediate node in the data network between the client device and the destination address, thereby allowing the client device to configure the selected service therein according to the QoS value from the service management server so as to enable the selected service to have service specific end-to-end QoS configuration starting from the client device, continuing at any intermediate node, and ending at 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 for the selected service;

obtaining an offer for a service configuration for the selected service;

making a preliminary reservation of the offered service configuration for the client device, the offered service configuration comprising service specific configuration of end-to-end QoS for the selected service; and

sending an offer message to the client device, the offer message comprising the offered reserved service specific configuration of end-to-end QoS for the selected service.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein the QoS values are associated with 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 Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) signaling.

18. A service management server in a data network for establishing a service specific configuration of end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS), the service management server being connected to a client device that supports a plurality of different services, the service management server comprising:

a receiving unit for receiving a request message from the client device, the request message comprising a service configuration request for one of the plurality of services selected by the client device;

a reservation unit for making a reservation of the requested service specific end-to-end QoS 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 information regarding the reserved service specific end-to-end QoS configuration for the selected service, wherein the service configuration information from the server comprises a destination address being associated with the requested service configuration, and the end-to-end QoS information in the service configuration information from the service management server comprising a QoS value for the selected service being associated with the destination address and to any intermediate node in the data network between the client device and the destination address, thereby allowing the client device to configure the selected service therein according to the QoS value from the service management server so as to enable the selected service to have service specific end-to-end QoS configuration starting from the client device, continuing at any intermediate node, and ending at the destination address.

19. The service management server according to claim 18, wherein:

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

wherein the service management server further comprises;

an obtaining unit adapted to obtain an offer for a service configuration for the selected service, and wherein;

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

the sending unit is further adapted to send an offer message to the client device, the offer message comprising the offered reserved service specific configuration of end-to-end QoS for the selected service.

20. A method in an intermediate node in a data network for establishing a service specific configuration of end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS), the node being adapted to be connected to a service management server in the data network and to a client device that supports a plurality of different services, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an acknowledgement message from the service management server addressed to the client device, the acknowledgement message comprising a service configuration requested by the client device for one of the plurality of services selected by the client device and information regarding service specific end-to-end QoS configuration for the selected service, wherein the service configuration information in the acknowledgement message comprises a destination address being associated with the requested service configuration, and the end-to-end QoS configuration information in the service configuration information from the service management server comprises a QoS value for the selected service being associated with the destination address and to the intermediate node;

configuring the selected service according to the service specific QoS value in the acknowledgement message; and

sending the received acknowledgement message to the client device, thereby allowing the client device to configure the selected service therein according to the QoS value from the service management server so as to enable the selected service to have service specific end-to-end QoS configuration starting from the client device, continuing at the intermediate node, and ending at the destination address.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the following steps is performed by Dynamic Host Control Protocol signaling:

receiving an acknowledgement message;

configuring the service; and

sending the received acknowledgement message.

22. An intermediate node in a data network, the node being adapted to be connected to a service management server in the data network and to a client device that supports a plurality of different services, the intermediate node comprising:

a receiving unit adapted to receive an acknowledgement message from the service management server addressed to the client device, the acknowledgement message comprising a service configuration requested by the client device for one of the plurality of services selected by the client device and information regarding service specific end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS) configuration for the selected service, wherein the service configuration information in the acknowledgement message comprises a destination address being associated with the requested service configuration, and the end-to-end QoS configuration information in the service configuration information from the service management server comprises a QoS value for the selected service being associated with the destination address and to the intermediate node;

a configuring unit adapted to configure the selected service according to the service specific QoS value in the acknowledgement message; and

a sending unit adapted to send the received acknowledgement message to the client device, thereby allowing the client device to configure the selected service therein according to the QoS value from the service management server so as to enable the selected service to have service specific end-to-end QoS configuration starting from the client device, continuing at the intermediate node, and ending at the destination address.

23. The intermediate node according to claim 22, further comprising 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.