An SDN-approach for QoE management of multimedia services using resource allocation

Future networks will be accompanied by new heterogeneous requirements in terms of end-users Quality of Experience (QoE) due to the increasing number of application scenarios being deployed. Network softwarization technologies such as Software Defined Networks (SDNs) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) promise to provide these capabilities. In this paper, a novel QoE-driven resource allocation mechanism is proposed to dynamically assign tasks to virtual network nodes in order to achieve an optimized end-to-end quality. The aim is to find the best combination of network node functions that can provide an optimized level of QoE to the end users though node cooperation. The service in question is divided in tasks and the neighbor nodes negotiate the assignment of these considering the final quality. In the paper we specifically focus on the video streaming service. We also show that the agility provided by SDN/NFV is a key factor for enhancing video quality, resource allocation and QoE management in future networks. Preliminary results based on the Mininet network emulator and the OpenDaylight controller have shown that our approach can significantly improve the quality of a transmitted video by selecting the best path with normalized QoS values

Understanding user experience of mobile video: Framework, measurement, and optimization

Since users have become the focus of product/service design in last decade, the term User eXperience (UX) has been frequently used in the field of Human-Computer-Interaction (HCI). Research on UX facilitates a better understanding of the various aspects of the user’s interaction with the product or service. Mobile video, as a new and promising service and research field, has attracted great attention. Due to the significance of UX in the success of mobile video (Jordan, 2002), many researchers have centered on this area, examining users’ expectations, motivations, requirements, and usage context. As a result, many influencing factors have been explored (Buchinger, Kriglstein, Brandt & Hlavacs, 2011; Buchinger, Kriglstein & Hlavacs, 2009). However, a general framework for specific mobile video service is lacking for structuring such a great number of factors. To measure user experience of multimedia services such as mobile video, quality of experience (QoE) has recently become a prominent concept. In contrast to the traditionally used concept quality of service (QoS), QoE not only involves objectively measuring the delivered service but also takes into account user’s needs and desires when using the service, emphasizing the user’s overall acceptability on the service. Many QoE metrics are able to estimate the user perceived quality or acceptability of mobile video, but may be not enough accurate for the overall UX prediction due to the complexity of UX. Only a few frameworks of QoE have addressed more aspects of UX for mobile multimedia applications but need be transformed into practical measures. The challenge of optimizing UX remains adaptations to the resource constrains (e.g., network conditions, mobile device capabilities, and heterogeneous usage contexts) as well as meeting complicated user requirements (e.g., usage purposes and personal preferences). In this chapter, we investigate the existing important UX frameworks, compare their similarities and discuss some important features that fit in the mobile video service. Based on the previous research, we propose a simple UX framework for mobile video application by mapping a variety of influencing factors of UX upon a typical mobile video delivery system. Each component and its factors are explored with comprehensive literature reviews. The proposed framework may benefit in user-centred design of mobile video through taking a complete consideration of UX influences and in improvement of mobile videoservice quality by adjusting the values of certain factors to produce a positive user experience. It may also facilitate relative research in the way of locating important issues to study, clarifying research scopes, and setting up proper study procedures. We then review a great deal of research on UX measurement, including QoE metrics and QoE frameworks of mobile multimedia. Finally, we discuss how to achieve an optimal quality of user experience by focusing on the issues of various aspects of UX of mobile video. In the conclusion, we suggest some open issues for future study

QoE on media deliveriy in 5G environments

231 p.5G expandirá las redes móviles con un mayor ancho de banda, menor latencia y la capacidad de proveer conectividad de forma masiva y sin fallos. Los usuarios de servicios multimedia esperan una experiencia de reproducción multimedia fluida que se adapte de forma dinámica a los intereses del usuario y a su contexto de movilidad. Sin embargo, la red, adoptando una posición neutral, no ayuda a fortalecer los parámetros que inciden en la calidad de experiencia. En consecuencia, las soluciones diseñadas para realizar un envío de tráfico multimedia de forma dinámica y eficiente cobran un especial interés. Para mejorar la calidad de la experiencia de servicios multimedia en entornos 5G la investigación llevada a cabo en esta tesis ha diseñado un sistema múltiple, basado en cuatro contribuciones.El primer mecanismo, SaW, crea una granja elástica de recursos de computación que ejecutan tareas de análisis multimedia. Los resultados confirman la competitividad de este enfoque respecto a granjas de servidores. El segundo mecanismo, LAMB-DASH, elige la calidad en el reproductor multimedia con un diseño que requiere una baja complejidad de procesamiento. Las pruebas concluyen su habilidad para mejorar la estabilidad, consistencia y uniformidad de la calidad de experiencia entre los clientes que comparten una celda de red. El tercer mecanismo, MEC4FAIR, explota las capacidades 5G de analizar métricas del envío de los diferentes flujos. Los resultados muestran cómo habilita al servicio a coordinar a los diferentes clientes en la celda para mejorar la calidad del servicio. El cuarto mecanismo, CogNet, sirve para provisionar recursos de red y configurar una topología capaz de conmutar una demanda estimada y garantizar unas cotas de calidad del servicio. En este caso, los resultados arrojan una mayor precisión cuando la demanda de un servicio es mayor

A quality of experience approach in smartphone video selection framework for energy efficiency

Online video streaming is getting more common in the smartphone device nowadays. Since the Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic hit all human across the globe in 2020, the usage of online streaming among smartphone user are getting more vital. Nevertheless, video streaming can cause the smartphone energy to drain quickly without user to realize it. Also, saving energy alone is not the most significant issues especially if with the lack of attention on the user Quality of Experience (QoE). A smartphones energy management is crucial to overcome both of these issues. Thus, a QoE Mobile Video Selection (QMVS) framework is proposed. The QMVS framework will govern the tradeoff between energy efficiency and user QoE in the smartphone device. In QMVS, video streaming will be using Dynamic Video Attribute Pre-Scheduling (DVAP) algorithm to determine the energy efficiency in smartphone devices. This process manages the video attribute such as brightness, resolution, and frame rate by turning to Video Content Selection (VCS). DVAP is handling a set of rule in the Rule Post-Pruning (RPP) method to remove an unused node in list tree of VCS. Next, QoE subjective method is used to obtain the Mean Opinion Score (MOS) of users from a survey experiment on QoE. After both experiment results (MOS and energy) are established, the linear regression technique is used to find the relationship between energy consumption and user QoE (MOS). The last process is to analyze the relationship of VCS results by comparing the DVAP to other recent video streaming applications available. Summary of experimental results demonstrate the significant reduction of 10% to 20% energy consumption along with considerable acceptance of user QoE. The VCS outcomes are essential to help users and developer deciding which suitable video streaming format that can satisfy energy consumption and user QoE

Introducing mobile edge computing capabilities through distributed 5G Cloud Enabled Small Cells

Current trends in broadband mobile networks are addressed towards the placement of different capabilities at the edge of the mobile network in a centralised way. On one hand, the split of the eNB between baseband processing units and remote radio headers makes it possible to process some of the protocols in centralised premises, likely with virtualised resources. On the other hand, mobile edge computing makes use of processing and storage capabilities close to the air interface in order to deploy optimised services with minimum delay. The confluence of both trends is a hot topic in the definition of future 5G networks. The full centralisation of both technologies in cloud data centres imposes stringent requirements to the fronthaul connections in terms of throughput and latency. Therefore, all those cells with limited network access would not be able to offer these types of services. This paper proposes a solution for these cases, based on the placement of processing and storage capabilities close to the remote units, which is especially well suited for the deployment of clusters of small cells. The proposed cloud-enabled small cells include a highly efficient microserver with a limited set of virtualised resources offered to the cluster of small cells. As a result, a light data centre is created and commonly used for deploying centralised eNB and mobile edge computing functionalities. The paper covers the proposed architecture, with special focus on the integration of both aspects, and possible scenarios of application.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft