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Appendix 21. TeraPaths: End-to-End path QoS

Configuration through Hybrid WANs Using Cross-

Domain Reservation Negotiation

Dimitrios Katramatos and Dantong Yu, Brookhaven National Laboratory

Shawn McKee, University of Michigan

January 2008

Summary:

The TeraPaths project at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) investigates the combination of

DiffServ-based LAN QoS with WAN MPLS tunnels and dynamic circuits in creating end-to-end

(host-to-host) virtual paths with guaranteed bandwidth. These virtual paths prioritize, protect, and

regulate network flows in accordance with site agreements and user requests, and prevent the

disruptive effects that conventional network flows might bring to one another. The project's

research, software development, and testing needs are being served by a unique testbed: a

collection of end-site subnets connected through high-performance WANs. The TeraPaths testbed

is rapidly evolving towards a multiple end-site infrastructure, dedicated to QoS networking

research, and it offers unique opportunities for experimentation with minimal or no impact on

production networking operations. Currently, TeraPaths interfaces with the OSCARS system to

dynamically setup and tear down end-to-end paths, composed by layer2 and layer 3 segments,

between BNL (LHC Tier 1 center), the University of Michigan, SLAC, and Boston University

(LHC Tier 2 site) through ESnet and Internet2.

Introduction:

The TeraPaths project at BNL researches the configuration of end-to-end virtual network paths,

with bandwidth guarantees, across multiple administrative domains. The TeraPaths software,

deployed at end sites, serves a dual role:

1.

It performs data flow admission control with advance reservations and subsequently

coordinates the configuration of end site LANs so that authorized data flows receive QoS

guarantees

2.

It interfaces with WAN service provider systems to setup MPLS tunnels and/or dynamic

network circuits (layer 2), so that authorized data flows traverse from source to destination

in a guaranteed bandwidth environment.

The net effect of TeraPaths is the scheduled establishment of end-to-end virtual paths with

guaranteed bandwidth, dedicated to specific data flows. These flows will be treated with different

priority than ordinary flows by all network devices along the route from source host to destination

host.

TeraPaths bridges the gap between data transfer-intensive applications and high performance

heterogeneous networks, as shown in Figure 67.

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