CSIRO’s RMP technology dynamically manages network traffic to preserve quality of service.

Improving quality of service across networks

CSIRO has developed a protocol that guarantees quality of service across computer networks like the Internet while fully utilising network resources.

• 12 January 2009 | Updated 14 October 2011

• The problem
• CSIRO solution
• Outcomes

End users are increasingly demanding features such as:

• phone calls over the internet in real-time
• videoconferencing over a network that’s as natural as face-to-face conversation
• online games with seamless player interaction.

Network administrators would like:

• all available bandwidth to be used
• not to have to manually reconfigure their network when the traffic profile changes (for example, when the proportion of those watching videos to those browsing the web changes)
• to have confidence in their quality of service guarantees
• end users to be happy.

The problem

Current standards-based network technology has problems such as:

• end-to-end delay of packets through the network cannot be guaranteed
• quality of service is difficult to provision appropriately, particularly in large networks
• networks cannot dynamically reconfigure themselves to maintain quality of service when the traffic profile changes
• bandwidth is not fairly allocated when the network reaches capacity.

CSIRO solution

Called Quality of Service Rate Management Protocol (RMP), it enhances the performance of standards-based network technology (Diffserv).

Developed by CSIRO’s experts in information and communication technologies (ICT), RMP:

• maintains quality of service for all network users (not just those watching videos or making phone calls)
• dynamically manages traffic flows as the proportion of different types of traffic changes
• fairly and optimally allocates all available bandwidth.

RMP manages:

• admission control, only admitting data to the network if there is sufficient capacity to carry it
• rate policing the network edge, dynamically controlling the amount of traffic entering the network to prevent the deterioration of service for all current network users.

This technology has been proven to work in our laboratory demonstrator which has realistic long delay links built in.

Outcomes

RMP will enable network administrators to:

• better manage current and expected traffic loads
• offer rigorous service level agreements with confidence
• fully utilise network resources without manual intervention.

For end users, the guaranteed quality of service RMP offers will be most welcome.

CSIRO currently seeks partners, both technical and commercial, to further this work.

Read more about CSIRO technology underpinning trusted, secure, multiparty collaborative environments.