In the battle over Internet quality of service (QoS), it will be ISP vs.
ISP and technology vs. technology.
While everyone, it seems, will either promise, pitch or maybe even offer Internet QoS next year, the bigger tussle will be Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP) against Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS).
Neither is an easy sell. Internet service providers, equipment vendors and users are not sold on a single approach, and both of the technologies are first generation.
MPLS is a draft specification that will let ISPs switch Layer 3 IP packets in the hope of improving network performance. MPLS will allow packets or traffic flows to be steered onto specific virtual circuits by adding forwarding bits to the packets. This will let ISPs guarantee network service levels.
But much work needs to be done on MPLS before it is ready for prime time. In fact, the draft is not expected to be finished until mid-1998.
Meanwhile, methods of switching IP traffic are available from vendors such as Cisco Systems, Inc., with its Tag Switching, and Ipsilon Networks, Inc. However, MPLS should let multiple vendors switch IP packets across large networks like the Internet.
RSVP, please
On the other hand, RSVP is an existing IETF signaling specification that will let users reserve bandwidth over their ISP's network giving priority to certain types of traffic.But many critics contend that if everyone is using RSVP, it will be almost impossible to manage. In order for ISPs to manage hundreds or thousands of RSVP users on their networks, they are going to need management tools that will let them keep tabs on who has access to what bandwidth, says Rebecca Wetzel, director of Internet services at TeleChoice, Inc., a Verona, N.J.-based consulting firm.
But some ISPs believe RSVP will be one of the early steps toward end-to-end QoS. GeoNet Communications, Inc. is considering deploying RSVP as a way of guaranteeing premium services, says Kent England, vice president of technology at GeoNet. One big gun already has rejected RSVP. UUNET Technologies, Inc. has said it will not roll out RSVP because it will not scale.
But GeoNet plans to add a class-based queuing (CBQ) technology to address some of the scalability issues, England says.
Xedia Corp. is the first vendor to roll out CBQ-based products with its Access Point line of devices. The bandwidth management products allow users to specify how much of their bandwidth will be dedicated to a protocol, application or URL.
