An automated resource management tool for policy-driven QoS control within integrated services intranets

Abstract

This paper presents the design of the automated resource management tool (ARMT), a software-based network management tool that automates the potentially complex manual task of global resource management in a mission-oriented, intranet environment. It allows the network operator to specify high level policies defining the network quality of service (QoS) that must be offered to the different applications sharing the IP network, under each operating mode of the network. The tool automatically handles resource conflicts in accordance with the high-level QoS policies defined by the network operator. It also monitors the network to detect events that may lead to deviations from the specified service policy and automatically implements proactive actions to ensure that the network delivers the required QoS. ARMT implements an innovative policy-driven QoS control technique which ensures that multimedia intranet applications will have an adaptive environment that permits them to coexist with other mission applications. The paper presents our experience with the implementation of a rapid prototype of the ARMT in a laboratory testbed environment.