A management and control architecture for providing IP differentiated services in MPLS-based networks

As the Internet evolves toward the global multiservice network of the futur e, a key consideration is support for services with guaranteed quality of s ervice. The proposed differentiated services framework is seen as the key t echnology to achieve this. DiffServ currently concentrates on control/data plane mechanisms to support QoS, but also recognizes the need for managemen t plane aspects through the bandwidth broker. In this article we propose a model and architectural framework for supporting DiffServ-based end-to-end QoS in the Internet, assuming underlying MPLS-based explicit routed paths. The proposed integrated management and control architecture will allow prov iders to offer both quantitative and qualitative services while optimizing the use of underlying network resources.