Cross-plane information sharing for QoS in satellite-terrestrial integrated packet networks

摘要

This paper introduces a standards-based Quality-of-Service (QoS) architecture for satellite and terrestrial IP packet network integration to facilitate the evolution of the next generation integrated networks. Cross-plane information sharing can extend the reach of cross-layer improvements, typically applied for enhancing throughput and robustness in the wireless networks. Besides supporting real-time interactive applications for all users, such a QoS architecture can also provide a prioritization framework for enhanced service assurance. The satellite packet transport operates in a spectral, power, and hardware resource constrained environment. It needs specific functions for packet classification, scheduling, and propagation, all operating within the broader context of dynamic resource allocations at the media access layer for transporting individual packets and their aggregates. Additional information, made available to these networking functions across the data, control, and management planes can facilitate key decision making at the individual packet flow level with the use of formal connection admission control (CAC). Our QoS scheme links the data and management planes with the use of IP differentiated services (Diffserv) information in the packet headers. Originally designed for packet traffic aggregates, Diffserv can be leveraged to provide QoS for the individual packet flows at specific data rates and packet drop sensitivity. This QoS architecture has been validated with a pioneering regenerative packet processing satellite system and it is also suitable for other networks that support flow-level CAC, operating under dynamic network capacity management. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Received 30 June 2009; Revised 23 January 2010; Accepted 9 March 2010