Policy Enforcement Point Interface for Dynamic QoS Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network systems face challenges in effectively managing Quality of Service (QoS), bandwidth, and security policies across wireless networks, particularly in ensuring these policies do not conflict with each other, especially when handling diverse content types like VoIP, streaming media, and multiplayer gaming that require reliable connections.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that provide an interface for a policy server to communicate policies to a policy enforcement point using PUSH and PULL models, where the policy server sends unsolicited policy changes or requests through messages like Change-of-Authorization and access-request messages, allowing for dynamic policy enforcement on subscriber sessions and traffic flows.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If policy-based management is implemented to allocate network resources according to policies, then network resource allocation and QoS enforcement are improved, but system complexity increases due to the need for policy servers, enforcement points, and message communication infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments policy management into two distinct components: a policy server that handles policy creation, storage, and distribution, and policy enforcement points that apply policies locally. This segmentation allows complex policy management functions to be separated from enforcement functions, improving reliability while managing complexity through clear division of responsibilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary communication interface using standardized message formats (access-request, access-accept, Change-of-Authorization) that mediates between the policy server and enforcement points. This intermediary layer simplifies integration and reduces system complexity by providing a standardized protocol for policy distribution and updates.
2Reliability
If diverse content types (VoIP, streaming media, multiplayer gaming) are supported with fixed parameters, then service quality is improved, but policy management complexity increases due to the need to handle different QoS requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different policy parameters to be enforced for different content types and traffic flows. The policy server can distribute specialized policy sets tailored to specific service requirements (VoIP, streaming, gaming) while the enforcement points apply these localized policies to appropriate traffic, maintaining service quality without requiring centralized management of all details.
Solution Approach 2:
The policy server and enforcement point architecture provides universality by handling multiple content types and QoS requirements through a single standardized framework. The system can enforce diverse policies for different service types using common message formats and enforcement mechanisms, reducing policy management complexity while supporting service diversity.
3Speed
If unsolicited policy changes are sent from policy server to enforcement point, then policy update speed is improved, but message communication overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the policy server proactively send Change-of-Authorization messages to enforcement points when policy changes occur, without waiting for requests. This ensures rapid policy updates and maintains security, while the standardized message format minimizes overhead by containing only essential change information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms where enforcement points acknowledge received policies and report their status. This feedback loop allows the policy server to verify successful policy deployment and send updates only when necessary, reducing unnecessary message communication overhead while maintaining fast update capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for providing an interface to communicate policy information from a policy server to a policy enforcement point are presented. An external policy server is used to implement and provide various policies to a policy enforcement point for enforcement on subscriber sessions and traffic flows of a mobile subscriber. A policy enforcement point can request instructions from the policy server using an access-request message and receive from the policy server unsolicited instructions with a change-of-authorization message. Policies for application to a subscriber session or traffic flow are included in the message from a policy server to the policy enforcement point. Other messages such as a disconnect message are used to terminate a subscriber session.