Dimensioning of carrier grade packet transport for simple network operation
Wolfram Lautenschlaeger, Gert J. Eilenberger · Bell Labs Technical Journal · 2009
Carrier grade packet transport with emphasis on layer 2 functionalities is a promising technology for future convergent metro and core networks. With its high flexibility and efficient utilization of resources exploiting the statistical multiplexing gain, packet transport functions effectively at the server layer for emerging Internet Protocol (IP)-based services. However, the statistical behavior of packet networks requires additional traffic engineering to ensure quality of service (QoS). The challenge is to define simple rules for operating the network and maintaining service level agreements without running into the well-known trap of multiplexing hierarchies, numerous methods for service differentiation and QoS classes and priority management schemes, which make network operation extremely complex. This paper presents Bell Labs research on a unified theory and practical approaches for network dimensioning and provisioning of QoS which enables carrier grade packet transport without tedious management of individual flows and fine-grained, tricky reservation schemes.