UPC/NPC algorithm for guaranteed QoS in ATM networks

Abstract

In Broadband Integrated Services Digital Networks (B-ISDN) based on the Asynchrous Transfer Mode (ATM) technology, the required Quality of Service (QoS) must be guaranteed for connection. Cell loss ratio, which is one of the QoS parameters specified by the user in an ATM traffic contract of connection, may depend on the traffic enforcement mechanism known as the Usage Parameter Control/Network Parameter Control (UPC/NPC) or traffic policing. If two UPC/NPC algorithms are not equivalent with respect to cell discarding/tagging for a given traffic configuration, a common understanding about legality between the user and the network operator does not exist. To cope with this legality problem, the concept of cell conformance has been developed by the International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T). However, the Cell Loss Priority (CLP) bit, which ITU-T introduced in the ATM cell header to discriminate between a high priority cell (CLP = 0) and a low priority cell (CLP = 1), may cause the measurement phasing problem in cell conformance testing in ATM networks. This makes it difficult for a network provider to define and commit cell loss ratio as a QoS parameter. In this paper, we investigate measurement phasing problems and difficulties in commitment of the cell loss ratio in ATM networks. We propose a QoS guaranteed UPC/NPC algorithm to commit the cell loss ratio, and show an example of applications of the proposed UPC/NPC algorithm.