Specification and delivery of quality indicators in IP packet eXchange networks

Abstract

Mobile and fixed network operators, as well as Internet service providers, are increasingly using IP packet eXchange (IPX) for IP interconnection, but more pervasive adoption of IPX is hindered by the reality of highly competitive market relationships. In the IPX market, the network topology and quality characteristics within each IPX provider's domain are considered a trade secret, and the terms for interconnection are traditionally specified through fairly rigid service level agreements. This paper addresses the challenge of enabling more flexible, end-to-end, service- and quality-aware IPX provider (IPXP) agreements, while obviating the need for disclosing actual measured values for the relevant quality of service (QoS) parameters and key performance indicators (KPIs). A concept under investigation is outlined, based on two ideas: 1) a centralized facility to measure, collect, process, and exchange end-to-end network quality parameters in a trusted manner, while not revealing the QoS/KPIs referring to individual IPXPs in the service delivery chain; and 2) a new service-aware metric, called Network Quality Indicator (NQI), which is derived from the actual measured QoS/KPI values on a given end-to-end path, for a given service (e.g, messaging, video, voice) transported through the IPX domain. Standardizing NQIs and their use has the potential to facilitate adoption of IPX networks as a regular interconnection model.