RFP-Based Research Proposal

Project ID:

RFP-2007-024

Title:

Impact of Video, Mobile and OTT Traffic Patterns on Next-generation Broadband Aggregation Networks

Summary:

The introduction of bandwidth intensive multimedia and mobile traffic is forcing service providers to re-architect their broadband aggregation networks. We invite researchers to propose models that allow the analysis of various operational parameters and traffic patterns, including not only classical traffic streams, but also over-the-top, mobile or social traffic patterns. The goal is to highlight the trade-offs and decision parameters with a view to network planning.

Full Description:

Service Provider Broadband network architectures are undergoing revolutionary architectural changes in recent years caused by the introduction of quadruple-play services, consisting of high-speed internet access, voice, video and mobility services. These are primarily targeting residential customers. In particular the introduction of multimedia services, such as broadcast TV, Video-on-demand or Video phones are driving the bandwidth demands up to levels that existing broadband network architecture can no longer sustain. This trend motivates Tier-1 Service Providers planning to offer quadruple-play multimedia services to re-engineer their broadband aggregation infrastructure.

At the same time, these trends are affected by service offerings of over-the-top providers (OTT), such as Skype or Joost. Over-the-top providers require their customers to simply have high-speed internet access service from a service provider, and are offering value-added multimedia services on top of it. The OTTs already have substantial customer bases. The OTT business models are directly competing with multimedia service offerings of Service Providers. SPs are still able to offer transport services in the form of high-speed internet access, over which the OTT's multimedia traffic would be delivered.

Depending on which business model and resulting traffic pattern prevails, the optimal next generation architecture may vary significantly from the perspective of its geographical or even functional distribution. For example, some large SPs are extending their IP networks to bring IP service creation functionality much closer to the subscribers. Other SPs prefer architectures which rely on cheaper L2 Transport to backhaul traffic to a compact IP network. Other intermediary architectures are also considered, which centralize some services or functionality while distributing others.

We invite proposals that examine future trends in broadband network architectures, taking the evolution of data traffic generated by multimedia services into account. Such proposals should shed light into the functions and factors that are contributing to a next generation broadband architecture, and thus assist in its modeling. Will a Tier-1 SPs broadband architecture be geographically more distributed? How should an existing centralized broadband architecture evolve to accommodate upcoming multimedia-traffic? What impact do social networking applications such as facebook or telepresence have on such architectures? What are the current traffic patterns caused by multimedia traffic streams? Are 4G voice-video-internet and mobile services leading to more localized traffic patterns? What role will P2P traffic play in such architectures?

Constraints and other information:

IPR will stay with the University. Cisco expects customary scholarly dissemination of results, and hopes that promising results would be made available to the community without limiting licenses, royalties, or other encumbrances.

Proposal submission:

Please use the link below to submit a proposal for research responding to this RFP. After a preliminary review, we may ask you to revise and resubmit your proposal.

Create/submit a proposal for this RFP

RFPs may be withdrawn as research proposals are funded, or interest in the specific topic is satisfied. Researchers should plan to submit their proposals as soon as possible. Submissions-to-date are reviewed at the beginning of each quarter (the first business day of: January, April, July, October).

Questions? Contact: research@cisco.com