Multimedia Networking

Instructor: Carey Williamson

Office: ICT 740
Email: [email protected]
Class Location: MFH 164
Lectures: TR 8:00 – 9:15
Notes derived from “Computer Networking: A Top Down
Approach Featuring the Internet”, 2005, 3rd edition, Jim
Kurose, Keith Ross, Addison-Wesley.

Slides are adapted from the companion web site of the book, as
modified by Anirban Mahanti (and Carey Williamson).

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 1

Goals

Principles
❒ Classify multimedia applications
❒ Identify the network services the apps need
❒ Making the best of best effort service
❒ Mechanisms for providing QoS

Protocols and Architectures

❒ Specific protocols for best-effort
❒ Architectures for QoS

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 2

Why Study Multimedia Networking?

❒ Exciting, industry relevant research

topic

❒ Multimedia is everywhere

❒ Tons of open problems

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 3

Outline
❒ Multimedia Networking Applications
❍ Stored, live, interactive
❍ Multimedia over “Best Effort” Internet
❍ Evolving the Internet to support multimedia applications

❒ Streaming stored audio and video

❒ Scalable Streaming Techniques (Hot Topic)

❒ Content Distribution Networks (Hot Topic)

❒ Beyond Best Effort

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 4

MM Networking Applications

Classes of MM applications: Fundamental

characteristics:
1) Streaming stored audio
❒ Typically delay sensitive
and video
❍ end-to-end delay
2) Streaming live audio and
❍ delay jitter
video
❒ But loss tolerant:
3) Real-time interactive
infrequent losses cause
audio and video
minor glitches
❒ Antithesis of data,
which are loss intolerant
Jitter is the variability but delay tolerant.
of packet delays within
the same packet stream
CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 5
 Streaming Stored Multimedia (1/2)

❒ VCR-like functionality: client can pause,

rewind, FF, push slider bar
❍ 10 sec initial delay OK
❍ 1-2 sec until command effect OK
❍ need a separate control protocol?

❒ timing constraint for still-to-be

transmitted data: in time for playout
CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 6
 Streaming Stored Multimedia (2/2)
Cumulative data

2. video
sent
1. video 3. video received,
recorded network played out at client
delay
time
streaming: at this time, client
playing out early part of video,
while server still sending later
part of video

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 7

Streaming Live Multimedia

Examples:
❒ Internet radio talk show
❒ Live sporting event
Streaming
❒ playback buffer
❒ playback can lag tens of seconds after
transmission
❒ still have timing constraint
Interactivity
❒ fast forward impossible
❒ rewind, pause possible!

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 8

 Interactive, Real-Time Multimedia

❒ applications: IP telephony,
video conference, distributed
interactive worlds
❒ end-end delay requirements:
❍ audio: < 150 msec good, < 400 msec OK
• includes application-layer (packetization) and network delays
• higher delays noticeable, impair interactivity
❒ session initialization
❍ how does callee advertise its IP address, port number, encoding
algorithms?

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 9

Multimedia Over “Best Effort” Internet

❒ TCP/UDP/IP: no guarantees on delay, loss

? ? ?
? ? ?
But you said multimedia apps requires ?
QoS and level of performance to be
? ? effective! ? ?

Today’s multimedia applications implement

functionality at the app. layer to mitigate
(as best possible) effects of delay, loss

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 10

 How to provide better support for
Multimedia? (1/4)
Integrated services philosophy:
❒ architecture for providing QOS guarantees in IP
networks for individual flows
❒ Fundamental changes in Internet so that apps
can reserve end-to-end bandwidth
❒ Components of this architecture are
❍ Admission control
❍ Reservation protocol
❍ Routing protocol
❍ Classifier and route selection
❍ Packet scheduler

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 11

How to provide better support for
Multimedia? (2/4)
Concerns with Intserv:
❒ Scalability: signaling, maintaining per-flow router state difficult with large
number of flows
❒ Flexible Service Models: Intserv has only two classes. Desire “qualitative”
service classes
❍ E.g., Courier, xPress, and normal mail
❍ E.g., First, business, and cattle class 
Diffserv approach:
❒ simple functions in network core, relatively complex functions at edge routers (or
hosts)
❒ Don’t define define service classes, provide functional components to build
service classes

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 12

How to provide better support for
Multimedia? (3/4)
Content Distribution Networks origin server
(CDNs) in North America
❒ Challenging to stream large files (e.g.,
video) from single origin server in
real time
❒ Solution: replicate content at
hundreds of servers throughout CDN distribution node
Internet
❍ content downloaded to CDN
servers ahead of time
❍ placing content “close” to user
avoids impairments (loss, delay) of
sending content over long paths
❍ CDN server typically in
edge/access network CDN server
CDN server
in S. America CDN server
in Asia
in Europe

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 13

How to provide better support for
Multimedia? (4/4) Multicast/Broadcast

duplicate
duplicate
R1 creation/transmission R1

duplicate

R2 R2

R3 R4 R3 R4

(a) (b)

Source-duplication versus in-network duplication.

(a) source duplication, (b) in-network duplication

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 14

Outline
❒ Multimedia Networking Applications
❒ Streaming stored audio and video
❍ Streaming Architectures
❍ Real Time Streaming Protocol
❍ Packet Loss Recovery
❒ Streaming stored audio and video

❒ Scalable Streaming Techniques (Hot Topic)

❒ Content Distribution Networks (Hot Topic)

❒ Beyond Best Effort

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 15

Internet multimedia: simplest approach

❒ audio or video stored in file

❒ files transferred as HTTP object
❍ received in entirety at client
❍ then passed to player

audio, video not streamed:

❒ no, “pipelining,” long delays until playout!
CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 16
 Streaming vs. Download of Stored Multimedia
Content

❒ Download: Receive entire content

before playback begins
❍ High “start-up” delay as media file
can be large
❍ ~ 4GB for a 2 hour MPEG II movie
❒ Streaming: Play the media file
while it is being received
❍ Reasonable “start-up” delays
❍ Reception Rate >= playback rate.
Why?

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 17

Progressive Download

❒ browser GETs metafile

❒ browser launches player, passing metafile
❒ player contacts server
❒ server downloads audio/video to player
CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 18
Streaming from a Streaming Server

❒ This architecture allows for non-HTTP protocol between server

and media player
❒ Can also use UDP instead of TCP.
❒ Example: Browse the Helix product family
http://www.realnetworks.com/products/media_delivery.html

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 19

 Streaming Multimedia: Client Buffering

constant bit
rate video client video constant bit
Cumulative data

transmission reception rate video

playout at client
variable
network

buffered
video
delay

client playout time

delay

❒ Client-side buffering, playout delay compensate

for network-added delay, delay jitter

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 20

Streaming Multimedia: Client Buffering

constant
variable fill drain
rate, x(t) rate, d

buffered
video

❒ Client-side buffering, playout delay compensate

for network-added delay, delay jitter

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 21

Streaming Multimedia: UDP or TCP?
UDP
❒ server sends at rate appropriate for client (oblivious to network congestion !)
❍ often send rate = encoding rate = constant rate
❍ then, fill rate = constant rate - packet loss

❒ short playout delay (2-5 seconds) to compensate for network delay jitter
❒ error recover: time permitting
TCP
❒ send at maximum possible rate under TCP
❒ fill rate fluctuates due to TCP congestion control
❒ larger playout delay: smooth TCP delivery rate
❒ HTTP/TCP passes more easily through firewalls

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 22

 Fairness of RealVideo Streams (1/2)
Media Client
Media Server

R1 R2
1500 Kbps

10 Mbps

FTP Server FTP Client

•R1-R2 is the bottleneck link

•Media Server is DNA Helix Server from RealNetworks
•Streaming uses UDP at the transport layer; requesting media encoded at 1 Mbps
•What fraction of the bottleneck is available to FTP?

Talk to Sean Boyden if you want to know more CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 23
Fairness of RealVideo Streams (2/2)

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 24

Outline
❒ Multimedia Networking Applications
❒ Streaming stored audio and video
❍ Streaming Architectures
❍ Real Time Streaming Protocol
❍ Packet Loss Recovery
❒ Streaming stored audio and video

❒ Scalable Streaming Techniques (Hot Topic)

❒ Content Distribution Networks (Hot Topic)

❒ Beyond Best Effort

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 25

Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP)

HTTP What it doesn’t do:

❒ Does not target multimedia ❒ does not define how
content audio/video is encapsulated
❒ No commands for fast for streaming over network
forward, etc. ❒ does not restrict how
RTSP: RFC 2326 streamed media is
❒ Client-server application transported; it can be
transported over UDP or
layer protocol.
TCP
❒ For user to control display:
❒ does not specify how the
rewind, fast forward,
media player buffers
pause, resume,
audio/video
repositioning, etc…

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 26

RTSP Example

Scenario:
❒ metafile communicated to web browser
❒ browser launches player
❒ player sets up an RTSP control connection, data
connection to streaming server

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 27

Metafile Example
<title>Twister</title>
<session>
<group language=en lipsync>
<switch>
<track type=audio
e="PCMU/8000/1"
src = "rtsp://audio.example.com/twister/audio.en/lofi">
<track type=audio
e="DVI4/16000/2" pt="90 DVI4/8000/1"
src="rtsp://audio.example.com/twister/audio.en/hifi">
</switch>
<track type="video/jpeg"
src="rtsp://video.example.com/twister/video">
</group>
</session>

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 28

RTSP Operation

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 29

RTSP Exchange Example
C: SETUP rtsp://audio.example.com/twister/audio RTSP/1.0
Transport: rtp/udp; compression; port=3056; mode=PLAY

S: RTSP/1.0 200 1 OK
Session 4231

C: PLAY rtsp://audio.example.com/twister/audio.en/lofi RTSP/1.0

Session: 4231
Range: npt=0-

C: PAUSE rtsp://audio.example.com/twister/audio.en/lofi RTSP/1.0

Session: 4231
Range: npt=37

C: TEARDOWN rtsp://audio.example.com/twister/audio.en/lofi RTSP/1.0

Session: 4231

S: 200 3 OK
CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 30
Outline
❒ Multimedia Networking Applications
❒ Streaming stored audio and video
❍ Streaming Architectures
❍ Real Time Streaming Protocol
❍ Packet Loss Recovery
❒ Streaming stored audio and video

❒ Scalable Streaming Techniques (Hot Topic)

❒ Content Distribution Networks (Hot Topic)

❒ Beyond Best Effort

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 31

Packet Loss

❒ network loss: IP datagram lost due to network

congestion (router buffer overflow)
❒ delay loss: IP datagram arrives too late for
playout at receiver
❍ delays: processing, queueing in network; end-system
(sender, receiver) delays
❍ Tolerable delay depends on the application
❒ How can packet loss be handled?
❍ We will discuss this next …

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 32

Receiver-based Packet Loss Recovery

❒ Generate replacement packet

❍ Packet repetition
❍ Interpolation
❍ Other sophisticated schemes

❒ Works when audio/video stream exhibits short-

term self-similarity
❒ Works for relatively low loss rates (e.g., < 5%)
❒ Typically, breaks down on “bursty” losses

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 33

 Forward Error Correction (FEC)
❒ for every group of n packets generate k redundant
packets
❒ send out n+k packets, increasing the bandwidth by factor
k/n.
❒ can reconstruct the original n packets provided at most k
packets are lost from the group
❒ Works well at high loss rate (for a proper choice of k)
❒ Handles “bursty” packet losses
❒ Cost: increase in transmission cost (bandwidth)

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 34

 Another FEC Example

• “piggyback lower
quality stream”
• Example: send lower
resolution audio stream as
the redundant
information
•

• Whenever there is non-consecutive loss, the

receiver can conceal the loss.
• Can also append (n-1)st and (n-2)nd low-bit rate
chunk

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 35

 Interleaving: Recovery from packet loss

Interleaving
❒ Re-sequence packets before transmission
❒ Better handling of “burst” losses
❒ Results in increased playout delay

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 36

Summary: Internet Multimedia: bag of tricks

❒ use UDP to avoid TCP congestion control (delays)

for time-sensitive traffic
❒ client-side adaptive playout delay: to compensate
for delay
❒ server side matches stream bandwidth to available
client-to-server path bandwidth
❍ chose among pre-encoded stream rates
❍ dynamic server encoding rate
❒ error recovery (on top of UDP)
❍ FEC, interleaving
❍ retransmissions, time permitting
❍ conceal errors: repeat nearby data

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 37

Outline
❒ Multimedia Networking Applications

❒ Streaming stored audio and video

❒ Scalable Streaming Techniques

❒ Content Distribution Networks

❒ Beyond Best Effort

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 38

Streaming Popular Content
❒ Consider a popular media file
❍ Playback rate: 1 Mbps
❍ Duration: 90 minutes
❍ Request rate: once every minute

❒ How can a video server handle such high

loads?
❍ Approach 1: Start a new “stream” for each
request
❍ Allocate server and disk I/O bandwidth for
each request
❍ Bandwidth required at server= 1 Mbps x 90

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 39

Streaming Popular Content using Batching
❒ Approach 2: Leverage the multipoint delivery capability of
modern networks
❒ Playback rate = 1 Mbps, duration = 90 minutes
❒ Group requests in non-overlapping intervals of 30 minutes:
❍ Max. start-up delay = 30 minutes
❍ Bandwidth required = 3 channels = 3 Mbps

Channel 1
Channel 2

Channel 3

0 3 60 90 120 150 180 210 240

0 Time (minutes)
CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 40
Batching Issues
❒ Bandwidth increases linearly with decrease
in start-up delays

❒ Can we reduce or eliminate “start-up”

delays?
❍ Periodic Broadcast Protocols

❍ Stream Merging Protocols

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 41

Periodic Broadcast Example

❒ Partition the media file into 2 segments with relative sizes

{1, 2}. For a 90 min. movie:
❍ Segment 1 = 30 minutes, Segment 2 = 60 minutes
❒ Advantage:
❍ Max. start-up delay = 30 minutes
❍ Bandwidth required = 2 channels = 2 Mbps

❒ Disadvantage: Requires increased client capabilities

Channel 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Channel 2 2 2 2

0 30 60 90 120 150 180

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 42
Time (minutes)
Skyscraper Broadcasts (SB) [Hua & Sheu 1997]

❒ Divide the file into K segments of increasing size

❍ Segment size progression: 1, 2, 2, 5, 5, 12, 12, 25, …
❒ Multicast each segment on a separate channel at the
playback rate
❒ Aggregate rate to clients: 2 x playback rate

A B

Channel 1 CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 43

Comparing Batching and SB
Server Start-up Delay
Bandwidth Batching SB

1 Mbps 90 minutes 90 minutes

2 Mbps 45 minutes 30 minutes
6 Mbps 15 minutes 3 minutes
10 Mbps 9 minutes 30 seconds
❒ Playback rate = 1 Mbps, duration = 90 minutes

❒ Limitations of Skyscraper:
❍ Ad hoc segment size progress
❍ Does not work for low client data rates

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 44

Reliable Periodic Broadcasts (RPB)
[Mahanti et al. 2001, 2003, 2004]

❒ Optimized PB protocols (no packet loss recovery)

❍ client fully downloads each segment before playing
❍ required server bandwidth near minimal
❍ Segment size progression is not ad hoc
❍ Works for client data rates < 2 x playback rate
❒ extend for packet loss recovery
❒ extend for “bursty” packet loss

❒ extend for client heterogeneity

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 45

Reliable Periodic Broadcasts (RPB)
[Mahanti et al. 2001, 2003, 2004]

❒ Optimized PB protocols (no packet loss recovery)

❍ client fully downloads each segment before playing
❍ required server bandwidth near minimal
❍ Segment size progression is not ad hoc
❍ Works for client data rates < 2 x playback rate
❒ extend for packet loss recovery
❒ extend for “bursty” packet loss

❒ extend for client heterogeneity

CPSC 601.43

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 46

 Optimized Periodic Broadcasts
Channel 1
Channel 2
Channel 3
Channel 4
Channel 5
Channel 6

❒ r = segment streaming rate = 1

❒ s = maximum # streams client listens to concurrently = 2
❒ b = client data rate = s x r = 2
k −1
1 1
❒ length of first s segments:
r
l k = l1 +
r ∑l j
j =1
❒ length of segment k > s: k −1
1
r
lk = ∑l j
j =k − s
CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 47
Outline
❒ Multimedia Networking Applications

❒ Streaming stored audio and video

❒ Scalable Streaming Techniques

❒ Content Distribution Networks

❒ Beyond Best Effort

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 48

Content distribution networks (CDNs)
Content replication origin server
❒ Challenging to stream large files in North America
(e.g., video) from single origin
server in real time
❒ Solution: replicate content at
hundreds of servers throughout CDN distribution node
Internet
❍ content downloaded to CDN
servers ahead of time
❍ placing content “close” to user
avoids impairments (loss, delay)
of sending content over long
paths
CDN server
❍ CDN server typically in CDN server
in S. America CDN server
edge/access network in Asia
in Europe

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 49

Content distribution networks (CDNs)
origin server
Content replication in North America
❒ CDN (e.g., Akamai) customer
is the content provider (e.g.,
CNN)
❒ CDN replicates customers’ CDN distribution node
content in CDN servers.
When provider updates
content, CDN updates
servers

CDN server
CDN server
in S. America CDN server
in Asia
in Europe

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 50

 CDN example HTTP request for
www.foo.com/sports/sports.html

1 Origin server

2 DNS query for www.cdn.com

CDNs authoritative
3 DNS server

HTTP request for

www.cdn.com/www.foo.com/sports/ruth.gif
Nearby
CDN server

origin server (www.foo.com) CDN company (cdn.com)

❒ distributes HTML ❒ distributes gif files
❒ replaces: ❒ uses its authoritative
http://www.foo.com/sports.ruth.gif DNS server to route
with redirect requests
http://www.cdn.com/www.foo.com/sports/ruth.gif

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 51

More about CDNs

routing requests
❒ CDN creates a “map”, indicating distances from
leaf ISPs and CDN nodes
❒ when query arrives at authoritative DNS server:
❍ server determines ISP from which query originates
❍ uses “map” to determine best CDN server
❒ CDN nodes create application-layer overlay
network

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 52

Outline
❒ Multimedia Networking Applications

❒ Streaming stored audio and video

❒ Scalable Streaming Techniques

❒ Content Distribution Networks

❒ Beyond Best Effort

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 53

Integrated Services (Intserv) Architecture
❒ architecture for providing QOS guarantees in IP
networks for individual flows
❒ flow: a distinguishable stream of distinct IP
datagrams
❍ Unidirectional
❍ Multiple recipient
❒ Components of this architecture:
❍ Admission control
❍ Reservation protocol
❍ Routing protocol
❍ Classifier and route selection
❍ Packet scheduler

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 54

Intserv: QoS guarantee scenario
❒ Resource reservation
❍ call setup, signaling (RSVP)
❍ traffic, QoS declaration
❍ per-element admission control

request/
reply
❍ QoS-sensitive
scheduling (e.g., WFQ)

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 55

Call Admission

Arriving session must :

❒ declare its QOS requirement
❍ R-spec: defines the QOS being requested
❒ characterize traffic it will send into network
❍ T-spec: defines traffic characteristics
❒ signaling protocol: needed to carry R-spec and T-
spec to routers (where reservation is required)
❍ RSVP

Need Scheduling and Policing Policies to provide QoS

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 56

Policing: Token Bucket

Token Bucket: limit input to specified Burst Size and Average

Rate.

❒ bucket can hold b tokens

❒ tokens generated at rate r token/sec unless bucket full
❒ over interval of length t: number of packets admitted less
than or equal to (r t + b).

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 57

Link Scheduling
❒ scheduling: choose next packet to send on link
❒ FIFO (first in first out) scheduling: send in order of arrival to queue
❍ real-world example?
❍ discard policy: if packet arrives to full queue: who to discard?
• Tail drop: drop arriving packet
• priority: drop/remove on priority basis
• random: drop/remove randomly

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 58

Round Robin
❒ multiple classes
❒ cyclically scan class queues, serving one from each class (if available)
❒ real world example?

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 59

Weighted Fair Queuing
❒ generalized Round Robin
❒ each class gets weighted amount of service in each
cycle
❒ real-world example?

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 60

Intserv QoS: Service models [rfc2211, rfc 2212]
Guaranteed service: Controlled load service:
❒ Assured data rate ❒ "a quality of service closely approximating
the QoS that same flow would receive
❒ A specified upper bound on from an unloaded network element.“
queuing delay ❒ Similar to behavior best effort service in
an unloaded network

arriving token rate, r

traffic

bucket size, b
per-flow
rate, R
WFQ

D = b/R
max

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 61

Differentiated Services
Concerns with Intserv:
❒ Scalability: signaling, maintaining per-flow router state difficult with large
number of flows
❒ Flexible Service Models: Intserv has only two classes. Desire “qualitative”
service classes
❍ E.g., Courier, xPress, and normal mail
❍ E.g., First, business, and cattle class 
Diffserv approach:
❒ simple functions in network core, relatively complex functions at edge routers (or
hosts)
❒ Don’t define define service classes, provide functional components to build
service classes

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 62

 Diffserv Architecture

Edge router:
 per-flow traffic management r marking
scheduling
 Set the DS field; value
determines type of service b ..
.

Core router:
 buffering and scheduling based
on marking at edge
 per-class traffic management

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 63

Traffic Classification/Conditioning

❒ How can packet marks be carried in IPv4

datagrams?
❒ Sender may agree to conform to a “traffic
profile”, thus a leaky bucket policer may be used
at the network edge to enforce
❍ Peak rate
❍ Average rate
❍ Burst size
❒ What happens when traffic profile is violated?
❍ Employ traffic shaping?

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 64

Forwarding (PHB)

❒ PHB result in a different observable (measurable)

forwarding performance behavior
❒ PHB does not specify what mechanisms to use to
ensure required PHB performance behavior
❒ Examples:
❍ Class A gets x% of outgoing link bandwidth over time
intervals of a specified length
❍ Class A packets leave first before packets from class B

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 65

PHB’s Defined in Diffserv

❒ Expedited Forwarding: pkt departure rate of a

class equals or exceeds specified rate
❍ logical link with a minimum guaranteed rate

❒ Assured Forwarding: 4 classes of traffic

❍ each guaranteed minimum amount of bandwidth
❍ each with three drop preference partitions

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 66

Deployment Issues

❒ Single administrative domain

❒ Incremental deployment
❒ Traffic policing/shaping complexity
❒ Charging models

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 67

Signaling in the Internet

connectionless no network
(stateless) best effort signaling protocols
forwarding by IP + service = in initial IP
routers design

❒ New requirement: reserve resources along end-to-end

path (end system, routers) for QoS for multimedia
applications
❒ RSVP: Resource Reservation Protocol [RFC 2205]
❍ “ … allow users to communicate requirements to network in
robust and efficient way.” i.e., signaling !
❒ earlier Internet Signaling protocol: ST-II [RFC 1819]

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 68

RSVP Design Goals

1. accommodate heterogeneous receivers (different bandwidth

along paths)
2. accommodate different applications with different resource
requirements
3. make multicast a first class service, with adaptation to
multicast group membership
4. leverage existing multicast/unicast routing, with adaptation
to changes in underlying unicast, multicast routes
5. control protocol overhead to grow (at worst) linear in #
receivers
6. modular design for heterogeneous underlying technologies

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 69

RSVP: does not…

❒ specify how resources are to be reserved

❒ rather: a mechanism for communicating needs
❒ determine routes packets will take
❒ that’s the job of routing protocols
❒ signaling decoupled from routing
❒ interact with forwarding of packets
❒ separation of control (signaling) and data
(forwarding) planes

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 70

Multimedia Networking: Summary
❒ multimedia applications and requirements
❒ making the best of today’s best effort
service
❒ scheduling and policing mechanisms
❒ next generation Internet: Intserv, RSVP,
Diffserv

CPSC 441: Multimedia Networking 71