PCP Server Media Flow Template QoS Enforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication technologies, such as WebRTC, lack effective mechanisms to manage and differentiate the transport of media streams and data streams within network flows, particularly in terms of Quality of Service (QoS) and security policies, leading to inadequate handling of bandwidth and security requirements.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of the PCP MEDIAFLOWTEMPLATE Option, which allows a Port Control Protocol (PCP) server to provide feedback to clients on whether bundling of streams is allowed and enables differentiated QoS characteristics and security policies, using stream identifiers and quality of service parameters, allowing networks to classify traffic on a per-packet basis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If media streams and data streams are transported together in peer-to-peer sessions, then communication efficiency is improved, but network security and QoS management become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments network traffic into distinct flow types (media streams and data streams) with separate identification and handling mechanisms. Each stream type receives differentiated QoS treatment and security policies through unique flow identifiers and classification rules, allowing efficient transport while maintaining manageable network control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces signaling protocols and network controllers as intermediaries that coordinate stream bundling decisions, QoS parameter negotiation, and security policy enforcement. These intermediaries enable automated flow management without requiring complex manual configuration, resolving the contradiction between efficiency and manageability
2Quantity of substance
If streams are bundled into flows for transport, then bandwidth utilization is improved, but differentiated QoS characteristics cannot be enforced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different QoS characteristics to different streams within the same flow based on their specific requirements. Each stream receives tailored bandwidth allocation, priority levels, and quality parameters while traveling together in a bundled flow, enabling both efficient bandwidth utilization and precise QoS differentiation through stream-specific identification and classification rules
Data Source
AI summary
Modern day user applications leverages new communication technologies such as WebRTC, WebEx, and Jabber allow devices to connect and exchange media content including audio streams, video streams, and data stream/channels. The present disclosure describes mechanisms for a Port Control Protocol (PCP) server to provide feedback to PCP clients to enforce certain policies on the transport of such media content for a network. A policy may include a traffic handling policy for enforcing differentiated quality of service characteristics for different types of media streams. Another policy may include a security policy ensuring a data files being transmitted over a data channel from one endpoint travels to a security application via a relay element before the packets reaches another endpoint. The mechanisms are transparent to the endpoints, and advantageously preserve the user experience for these user applications.