A methodological approach to BISDN signalling performance

Sophisticated signalling protocols are required to properly handle the complex multimedia, multiparty services supported by the forthcoming BISDN. The implementation feasibility of these protocols should be evaluated during their design phase, so that possible performance bottlenecks are identified and removed. In this paper we present a methodology for evaluating the performance of BISDN signalling systems under design. New performance parameters are introduced and their network-dependent values are extracted through a message flow model which has the capability to describe the impact of call and bearer control separation on the signalling performance. Signalling protocols are modelled through a modular decomposition of the seven OSI layers including the service user to three submodels. The workload model is user descriptive in the sense that it does not approximate the direct input traffic required for evaluating the performance of a layer protocol; instead, through a multi-level approach, it describes the actual implications of user signalling activity for the general signalling traffic. The signalling protocol model is derived from the global functional model of the signalling protocols and information flows using a network of queues incorporating synchronization and dependency functions. The same queueing approach is followed for the signalling transfer network which is used to define processing speed and signalling bandwidth requirements and to identify possible performance bottlenecks stemming from the realization of the related protocols

Adaptive content for the mobile user: a policy-based approach

Service adaptation is fundamental to context-aware service provisioning and to the realization of the Virtual Home Environment concept, which is now an integral part of the 3G service framework. Although the technological means for developing advanced, adaptable services are maturing, managing adaptation is still an ambitious task. In this paper, we tackle the issues of automating and managing adaptable web content for mobile users and illustrate the potential of policy-based service management. We present a novel policy-based framework, its experimental evaluation and discuss considerations on the applicability of state-of-the-art, XML-related technologies for the development of adaptable content and services for mobile users. We finally assess the overheads arising from the adaptation process and explore possible trade-offs

ELISA: European Linkage between Internet Integrated and Differentiated Services over ATM

Nowadays we are witnessing the growth of Internet at an unprecedented rate. However, the current Internet does not guarantee Quality of Service for user flows, which prevents the provision of good quality for multimedia streaming applications over long distance. This led to the development of the Integrated Services architecture and recently to the Differentiated Services architectures. On the other hand, ATM networks are being installed for the public infrastructure of B-ISDN throughout the world with advanced QoS capabilities to offer various service classes to customers. Considering these trends it seems important to network operators to integrate Internet protocols and the mature ATM QoS technology. This paper presents a specific approach for such an integration which is taken in the international project ELISA (European Experiment on the Linkage between Internet Integrated Services and ATM), funded by the EU through the ACTS programme. The approach is based on a combination of t..

The simplicty project:Managing complexity in a diverse ICT world

As technology develops, people are using an ever broader range of heterogeneous ICT (Information and Communication Technology) devices and network-based services. New areas of research, such as pervasive computing, will further increase the diversity of the devices and services with which users have to deal. The result is an enormous burden of complexity for users, service providers and network operators. This creates obstacles to effective exploitation and acceptance of Beyond 3G systems such as ambient intelligence, context-aware services and novel access technologies. The goal of the Simplicity project is to reduce this complexity by: i) providing automatic customization of user access to services and the network; ii) automatically adapting services to terminal characteristics and user preferences; iii) orchestrating network capabilities

The simplicty project:Managing complexity in a diverse ICT world

As technology develops, people are using an ever broader range of heterogeneous ICT (Information and Communication Technology) devices and network-based services. New areas of research, such as pervasive computing, will further increase the diversity of the devices and services with which users have to deal. The result is an enormous burden of complexity for users, service providers and network operators. This creates obstacles to effective exploitation and acceptance of Beyond 3G systems such as ambient intelligence, context-aware services and novel access technologies. The goal of the Simplicity project is to reduce this complexity by: i) providing automatic customization of user access to services and the network; ii) automatically adapting services to terminal characteristics and user preferences; iii) orchestrating network capabilities