A Light Reading Webinar

Delivering Carrier-Class Quality in VOIP Networks

Thursday, November 7, 2006

Moderated by

John LongoSenior AnalystHeavy Reading

Sponsored by:

SpeakersTony Downes

Principal Technologist, Network Protocols DivisionData Connection

Benjamin EllisVP of Product Management and Marketing

Psytechnics

Guido MarxCTO Fixed Solution Division

Alcatel

Bob TravisDirector of Solutions Marketing

Brix Networks

Alcatel 13.1 billion euros in sales 12% of sales invested in R&D 58,000 employees Active in 130 countries

All figures are for 2005

Brix Networks Trusted provider of converged service assurance solutions Proven heritage of IP expertise Companys offerings deployed by leading network

operators worldwide to verify service quality for: VoIP IP-based video IPTV Mobile convergence Data services

Brix solutions used to maximize profitability and ensure user satisfaction

Stable & Independent Privately held and consistently profitable

Consistent model of Top quality products Superior support Talented people

Data Connection (DCL)

Worldwide leader in Networking Protocols

Messaging and Conferencing Solutions

Class 5 softswitch

IMS Application ServersUnified Messaging Applications

SIP, H.248 (Megaco), MGCP, SBC, IP Routing, MPLS, ATM

Tellme.

REVENUEEARNINGS

Psytechnics World leader in Perceptual Engineering for Quality of Experience Founded in 2000 and Headquartered in Ipswich, England Delivering Technology and expertise behind 6 ITU world

standards P.564 P.VTQ (VoIP Quality Assessment) 2006 P.862.2 PESQ WB (Wideband Active Voice Testing) 2006 J.144 (Broadcast Video Quality Assessment) 2004 P.563 (Passive Voice Testing) 2003 P.862 PESQ (Active Voice Testing) 2001 P.562 (Conversation Voice Testing) 1998

Highly Innovative Over 35 Patents Global Institutional Investor base and customer base Operation and analysis of subjective testing

Database of over 300,000 subjective test results ITU-T compliant in-house subjective test facility and skills

Agenda Managing services horizontally and vertically VoIP QoS in hybrid network deployments

MPLS at Core Various technologies in the access SBC at the edge

Perceptual view of voice quality Standards and protocols Tools and for active and passive testing

Managing VoIP quality across the network Life cycle approach to quality Quality at the core Actionable information

Managing quality with blended services Admission control Dynamic policy control Network segment specific QoS policies

Summary Questions & Answers

Managing Quality Horizontally and Vertically

1 Physical

2 Data

3 Network

4 Transport

5 Session

6 Presentation

7 Application

Converged IP Platform

FixedAccess

WirelessAccess

Session Management

Long-haulTransport

Voice Video IM

Blended Services

Web Etc.

Quality must be managed horizontally across the transport network and vertically within the OSI stack.

MPLS provides a framework for QOS management across transport

SBCs bridge the OSI layers at the networks edge

Perceptual quality tools provide a measurement for Quality of Experience

Converged IP platforms and blended services introduce challenges of network contention in the core and to the edge.

Policy control is necessary to resolve contention.

Dynamic policy control recognizes the element of real-time events in policy decisions

Audience Poll #1

Where is your companys greatest priority in terms of challenges for managing quality

within converged IP networks?

Transport level QoS and performance Resource control Admission control Quality of Experience perceptual based

performance measures

VoIP QoS in Hybrid Network Deployments MPLS in Core network QoS lite in Access network (ATM, FR, DSL, Cable, Ethernet..) SBC at Edge bridges the gap

Untrusted NetworkDSL over ATM

MPLSmedia

SBC

SIPsignaling

MPLSmedia

SBC

SIPsignaling

IP media

TrustedCore

IP media

Untrusted NetworkEthernet

SIP

SIP

SIP

SIP

SIP

SIP

MPLS Functions Signaling (Control)

LSP (Label Switched Path) setup static or dynamic Rarely single flows Usually aggregated flows tunnels

Media (Data) Forwarding Admission control Prioritization based on QoS

Edge (ingress) MPLS devices Classifies traffic (FECs) Aggregates non-MPLS traffic (ATM, FR, Ethernet, ..)

Session Border Controller Functions Connectivity

NAT/firewall, protocol repair Protocol interworking and transcoding

Security Firewall, topology hiding, authentication DOS prevention, signal rate limiting, terminating encryption

Quality of service (QOS) Admission control QOS session monitoring Type of service (TOS) bit marking

Regulatory Lawful intercept (LI) / (CALEA) Emergency services (E911), preemption

Policy-based call routing Call accounting

SBC Deployment Models

MPLSmedia

SIP signaling

MPLSmedia

SIPsignaling

IP media

IP media

TrustedCore

MediaProxy

Integrated SBC

SignalingProxy

Call Agent/Softswitch

SIP signaling

SIPsignaling

MediaProxy

Distributed SBC

SignalingProxy

Call Agent/Softswitch

H.248control

SIP

SIP

SIP

SIP

SIP

SIP

Untrusted NetworkDSL over ATM

Untrusted NetworkEthernet

VoIP QoS Moving Forward MPLS

Extends out to enterprise? Is superseded in core by Ethernet?

SBC migration to IMS 3GPP R7 adds

Protocol Conversion Legacy Devices Peering Control IPv4 / NAT

But still lacks Core Bandwidth Management Explicit MPLS/VPN support

ActiveTools

SubjectiveTesting

PassiveTools

ExperienceManagement

Technology of Voice Quality Assessment

Pre-Deployment Roll-out In-service

Experience Management

QoE

Service ManagementQoS

Layers of Management

NetworkManagement

Connectivity

Voice Over IP Management

NGN/MPLS Core

NOC

Mobile

PSTN

NGN-2

Consumer

ApplicationSignalling Control

End PointInfrastructure

Quality ofExperience?

SupplicantServers

DegradedSignal

Active Measurement Send test signal over network then compare degraded signal in

network with copy of original to produce a media quality measurement

E.g. Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ) ITU-T Recommendation P.862 Support for narrowband signals(P.862.1) Support for wideband signals (P.862.2)

Systemunder test

ReferenceSignal Auditory

transform

Prediction ofperceived

speechquality

Timealign andequalise

Levelalign

InputFilter

Levelalign

InputFilter

Auditorytransform

DisturbanceProcessing

Auditorytransform

Cognitivemodelling

Re-align bad intervals

Passive MeasurementMeanOpinionScore

CallHandling/

Interception

Speech StreamExtraction Analysis

Extract TalkerCharacteristics

Vocal TractParameterExtraction

ErrorIdentification

Network

Measure quality of call traffic at any network access point Extract & analyze traffic to assess media qualityE.g. Psytechnics Speech Monitor

Payload analysis in conjunction with P.561 and P.562Payload voice quality, echo, delay, noise level, speech level

ITU-T P.563 plus real-world interfaceIP analysis with P.564

Be Prepared: Steps in Assuring Service Quality

Network assessment and

readiness for voice, video,

and data

Real-time monitoring and

live call analysis of call quality

details

Simulate and test actual user applications to identify issues

Root-cause analysis to

isolate faults before customer

impact

Assuring service levels are being

met; SLA thresholds and

reporting

Assess - Test Monitor Diagnosis - Assure

Assurance Starts at the Core Automated testing and monitoring

service performance starts at the MPLS/IP core Monitor multiservice quality and

network performance Requires core-to-access visibility

Measure and monitor all relevant QoS metrics of bandwidth, delay and packet loss at different levels of granularity Used to segment, troubleshoot the

network, and verify/guarantee SLAs

Finishes at the Customer The missing piece: Pervasive

endpoint management Harvest intelligence utilizing industry

standards Simplify the collection, correlation,

and reporting of IP performance metrics

Gain deeper visibility throughout network (core-to-endpoints) Example metrics: Discard rate, loss

rate, packet delay, signal/noise level, echo level, MOS score

Unified view of IP service performance and quality

CorrelationEngine

Visualization& Reporting

APIRTCP-XR SIP LB TR-069

API APIAPITWAMP

KPI Aggregation

NCS LBAPI

Voice

IP STBPSTN

VoIP Gateway

Voice Voice

DSL Gatewayor RG

Voice

Converged Service Endpoints

Cable GatewayVoice Gateway/Video Headend

How it Works..VoIP Performance Management

SLA Agreement

Back OfficeIntegration

Visualization

POP

POP

POP

IP Partner

POP

PSTN Partner

Residential VoIP VoIP Handoff

VoIPTrunking

Softswitch

EnterpriseVoIP

Proactive testingLive Call Analysis

MPLS/IPBackbone

Yields Actionable Information

Business Impact View

Alarm/Problem ViewSLA Reporting ViewRoot-cause View

Dashboard View Topology View

Why itHappened

Why it Matters

Whats the Business

Impact

What it affects

What Happened

Audience Poll #2

What applications will trigger the need for session based admission control in your network?

VoIP as a sole service Broadband services Converged services platform in the core Blended services in a common application or

access link None. Dynamic admission control is not needed

The Path to a new IP Service MixMultimedia, nomadic, multiple real-time sessions

Increasing Diversity

I

n

c

r

e

a

s

i

n

g

I

n

t

e

g

r

a

t

i

o

n

Mobile Office Voice

Multimedia Conferencing

Voice/Video Calling/Mail box

Reachabilitybased

communication

Voice/Video Conferencing

IPTVInternetHybrid Phone

VoIP

CommercialBundles

BlendedServices

Multi-service terminalsMulti-access (DSL, WiMAX) network

Conversational services over TV

CLASSIC TRIPLE PLAY

IMS-readyClass 5

Triple PlayBundle Residential and Enterprise VoIP

POTS

Reachability Pilot

NEW GENERATION IP SERVICES

End-to-End QoS Extended to all Layers

DSL fixed

Mobile 2G/3G Wifi

Wimax

Web, e mail,

IPTV , VOD

Audio, VideoStreaming

ConversationalVoice / Video

APPLICATIONS

ACCESS

IP Network

Corporate

End to End QoS

Dynamic Policy Models

EVENT TRIGGER

a. Network attachment

b. Service registration

c. Session establishment

Static Model

Semi-Dynamic Model

DynamicModel

Policy

GranularityPer subscriber Per service

Admission Control (AC)One registration per terminalOne session per terminalGranularityPer subscriber Per service/terminale.g. CLASSIC TRIPLE PLAY

Admission Control

GranularityPer subscriber Per servicePer sessione.g. TISPAN NGN

Policy +AC

Policy

Policy +AC

Policy +AC

PolicyPolicy

POLICY MODELS

Implementing Policy Models

a. Network attachment

Policy +AC

b. Service registration Policy +AC

Policy +AC

c. Session establishment

PolicyPolicyPolicy

i. Radius, CLI, SNMP, SOAP, vendor specificii. COPS, DIAMETER, Web Services

static dynamicsemi-dynamic

CustomerNetwork

AggregationSPRG

(NT) AN IP serviceedge

PrivateInternet

PublicInternet

Video (BTV+VoD)

Application

BGF

NASS

a. Network attachment

Policy control/RAC

c. Session establishment

User Application Profile

(e.g. HSS)

ApplicationPoliciesb. Service registration

i

Sub/lineProfile

AccessPolicies

H-248

i ii

ii

i

The Select, what You Need solution

Network Segment Specific QoS Policies

QoS Service ClassBandwidthDelayJitterPacket LossApplication specifics

CPE: EnterpriseVLAN

802.1p/q tagBandwidth

DSCP marking

Network Access : xDSLVLAN 802.1p/Q

DSCP markingShapingPolicing

Admission Control

WiMAX

Network Core:MPLS Tunnel ID +

expectedbandwidth

Content ServerHome

The service offering is improved with dedicated policies for distinct network segments

ApplicationsAllowed sessions Billing inputApplication specifics

Summary IP-based services require sophisticated tools to measure

quality horizontally and vertically Perceptual based tools are necessary to measure Quality

of Experience Quality statistics must be gathered at various levels and

locations in the network Information needs to be synthesized, organized and

distributed in the appropriate manner for each function Converged networks and blended services increase

resource contention and require additional service management

Dynamic policy control is necessary to deal with real-time resource contention on a service, subscriber and session basis

Questions & Answers

Web link to evaluation form

A Light Reading Webinar Delivering Carrier-Class Quality in VOIP Networks SpeakersAlcatelBrix NetworksData Connection (DCL)PsytechnicsAgendaManaging Quality Horizontally and VerticallyAudience Poll #1VoIP QoS in Hybrid Network DeploymentsMPLS FunctionsSession Border Controller FunctionsSBC Deployment ModelsVoIP QoS Moving ForwardTechnology of Voice Quality AssessmentLayers of ManagementVoice Over IP ManagementActive MeasurementPassive MeasurementBe Prepared: Steps in Assuring Service Quality Assurance Starts at the CoreFinishes at the Customer How it Works..VoIP Performance ManagementYields Actionable InformationAudience Poll #2 The Path to a new IP Service Mix Multimedia, nomadic, multiple real-time sessions End-to-End QoS Extended to all LayersDynamic Policy ModelsImplementing Policy ModelsNetwork Segment Specific QoS PoliciesSummaryQuestions & AnswersWeb link to evaluation form