Network Service Customization: End-Point Perspective (Proposal)

An important problem with cell-switched technologies such as Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is the provision of customized multiplexing behavior to applications. This customization takes the form of setting up processes in the network and end-points to meet application "Quality of Service" (QoS) requirements. The proposed thesis work examines the necessary components of a software architecture to provide QoS in the end-points of a cell-switched network. An architecture has been developed, and the thesis work will refine it using a "driving" application of the full-feedback teleoperation of a robotics system. Preliminary experimental results indicate that such teleoperation is possible using general-purpose workstations and a lightly-loaded ATM link. An important result of the experimental portion of the thesis work will be a study of the domain of applicability for various resource management techniques.