There’s no doubt that IP (Internet Protocol) has become the ubiquitous data networking protocol, enabling the world-wide internet and a host of innovative data services ranging from VoIP, interactive video to HTML5 websites. It has proved highly scalable, adapting from Wi-Fi and 3G mobile broadband through residential wireline and up to corporate Gigabit speeds. Almost all networked computers now use the protocol and its position appears to be unassailable. However, there are several outstanding issues to be solved to ensure continuing success.

IP is based on packet technology, sending small packets of data from one computer to another using their unique IP address. The route each individual packet takes is not assured, congestion and load sharing often results in sequential packets taking different routes. Packets may be dropped or arrive out of sequence. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) supervises the stream of packets, setting up sessions which ensure the correct sequencing of packets and avoid packet loss. Other protocols build on these basic building blocks to deal with serving web pages, secure encryption, streaming and other common functions. Open standards and wide adoption ensure good interoperability and functionality across most computer hardware and operating systems today.

Best effort isn’t good enough

IP data services today are based almost entirely on a “best-effort” basis, leading to customer dissatisfaction when watching video or interactive streaming services that depend on low latency and minimum data rates. Some mechanisms need to be put in place to ensure capacity is reserved and available for these more demanding types of service, possibly related to some pricing premium.

Traffic shaping using Deep Packet Inspection – a technique using routers which can inspect and classify each packet – are a common method of prioritizing internet traffic. Services seen as high bandwidth/low value such as peer-to-peer filing sharing can be given fewer resources during peak times. Video and web surfing can be given more priority to avoid glitches or poor customer perception.

Within mobile networks, admission control can also be used. This function operates at the individual cellsite where typically no information about individual subscribers is available. All users get the same treatment. Typically short bursts of activity are rewarded with a fast response, reducing latency when calling up simple mobile web pages or making status checks. More sustained use can then result in lower priority, to avoid individuals draining large amounts of resource which could otherwise satisfy many other less demanding customers.

Knowledge of network capacity helps planners define and administer the policies and priorities even in these best effort scenarios. Where simple traffic prioritization is used, bandwidth can be allocated separately for each main class of service, building up a clear view of total network capacity available for each category and identify bottlenecks.

As and when more sophisticated methods of administering Quality of Service (QoS) are applied, a clear view of available network capacity will be essential to ensure that promised service levels are indeed able to be delivered.

Running out of addresses

For many years, industry experts have been highlighting that the address space for IPv4 is becoming exhausted and that a transition to IPv6 has become both urgent and essential. With IANA having distributed their last unassigned block of IPv4 addresses in January 2011, the problem is becoming more urgent to solve. Many large carriers have invested heavily in IPv6 already, although this isn’t always visible to end users.

Migration projects of this scale are not simply limited to address assignment – many other issues need to be taken into account to ensure a seamless and smooth transition without unnecessary disruption. An accurate view of the end-to-end network with detailed understanding of both protocol versions, mapping and equipment configuration makes these tasks much easier to deal with.

IMS

IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) systems offer the capability to manage end-to-end sessions for all purposes, ranging from sophisticated call handling associated with private office exchanges (PABX) to maintaining a video call while adapting rapidly to changing transmission bandwidth. As an international standard adopted by both fixed and mobile networks, IMS sets the underlying capability for true end-to-end data sessions across any IP network.

Most accept that regardless of protocol – for example, SIP, HTTP or FTP – data services will be subject to competition from low-cost, non-traditional providers. There will be many Over-The-Top (OTT) content providers delivering a wider range of data services. The ability for Service Providers to deliver data services to a known quality will be a differentiating and valuable feature. This capability can then be sold, directly or indirectly, to the customer and other content providers. The IMS specifications detail the components that enable this capability and provide a competitive advantage against those who don’t.

These changes in telecom technology are driving several industry trends, such as the Data Capacity Crunch.