Managing Multimedia Network Services

Abstract

In this paper we present a novel approach to managing real-time traffic in multimedia networks. We first clarify the respective roles of the real-time control system, the management system, and the network operator, and describe their interactions aimed at managing real-time services. Following this framework, we introduce an architecture based on the concept of managing network services by tuning the resource control tasks in the network control system. To deal with the complexity of the network control system, we present the L-E model, a generic system-level abstraction of a resource control task. We define high-level controls and visual abstractions for the network operator which are supported by our architecture. These concepts are evaluated on a prototyping platform, which includes a management station implemented on a graphics computer and a high-performance parallel machine running in real-time the control and management systems of a large multimedia network. We conclude by describing the results of several experiments that illustrate the quantitative effect of management operations in a large multimedia network that follows our architecture.