Method and apparatus for providing end-to-end quality of service in multiple transport protocol environments using permanent or switched virtual circuit connection management

Abstract

A method and apparatus for ensuring end-to-end QoS for user applications operating in multi-transport protocol environments while using PVC or SVC connection management procedures. A user application at a workstation having specific QoS requirements can selectively connect to one of a plurality of servers having varying QoS profiles, regardless of the transport protocols used in the underlying network. The user application initiates a session with a first QoS negotiator and a first QoS selector. The first QoS negotiator queries a second QoS negotiator for the QoS profile of a connected server. The second QoS negotiator, in conjunction with a second QoS selector, notifies the server of the address of the second QoS negotiator. The second QoS negotiator, in conjunction with the second QoS selector, sends a response to the first QoS negotiator and the first QoS selector indicating QoS profile and connection information of the server. The first QoS selector stores the received QoS profile and connection information in a database. The database is then queried by the user application to determine if a server having the desired QoS profile exists. If such a server does not exist, the QoS selection and negotation procedures are repeated and the database is updated. If a server having the desired QoS profile does exist, a PVC or SVC connection is established between the first and second QoS negotiators and QoS selectors, thereby ensuring end-to-end QoS for the user application and allowing the application to exchange data with the server using the PVC or SVC connection.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 09 / 435,549 filed Nov. 8, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. ______. The entire disclosure of this related application is expressly incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing end-to-end Quality of Service (“QoS”) in Multiple Transport Protocol Environments using permanent or switched virtual circuit connection management. More specifically, the invention provides QoS selection and negotiation procedures among multiple server profiles that allow applications to selectively negotiate connections with servers having desired QoS parameters, regardless of the transport protocols and permanent or switched virtual circuit connection methodologies of the underlying network connection. [0004] 2. Related Art [0005] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 435,549, filed Nov. 8, 19...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for ensuring end-to-end QoS for user applications.

[0022] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for ensuring end-to-end QoS for user applications operating in multi-transport protocol environments having varying PVC or SVC connection methodologies, using QoS selection and negotiation procedures. A user application at a client machine (i.e., a workstation) having specific QoS requirements can selectively connect to one of a plurality of servers having varying QoS profiles, regardless of the transport protocols and PVC or SVC connection methodologies of the underlying network. The QoS selection and negotiation procedures exchange QoS, ATM, PVC, and SVC information and establish a connection between a client machine and a server machine having guaranteed QoS. A database at the client is utilized by user application to determine if a server having the desired QoS profile exists. The database is dynamically updated as server QoS, ATM, PVC, and SVC connection information changes, thereby allowing the client to adapt to varying network and QoS conditions.

Problems solved by technology

However, despite the wonderful successes the Internet has experienced, a means for guaranteeing QoS, connection management, and security for such diverse applications is lacking.

However, because TCP / IP was originally designed to transfer data, it has limited capability in guaranteeing QoS for non-real time data applications.

Real-time applications such as voice and video, which require guaranteed QoS and multi-service provisioning, are therefore not adequately supported by TCP / IP.

Such applications may impose significant constraints on delay and / or delay variations.

The present difficulty in the art, however, arises when such servers have varying ATM connection methodologies, thereby giving rise to the need to provide QoS selection and negotiation procedures that can adapt to the varying methodologies, working efficiently and reliably therewith.

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