From broadband network services to a distributed multimedia support-environment

Abstract

We are on the brink of another major step in the age of “information”, stimulated by: Firstly multimedia computing characterized by a wide range of potential applications that combine information sources such as voice, graphics, hifi quality audio and video. Secondly advances in network technology which have made it feasible to build high-speed networks operating at hundreds of Mbit/s over long distances. Consequently distributed processing in the new information age will have to support the Quality of Service (QoS) requirements of the new multimedia applications and be able to exploit in full the increasing capabilities of the new broadband networks. The most likely candidate for broadband communications is B-ISDN based on ATM technology. The current status of development of ATM encompasses generic bearer services which fulfill on the one hand the major needs of current uses like LAN-to-LAN interconnection, transmission of digital signals with constant bit rates, and provides on the other hand interworking with other communication technologies like Frame Relay, ISDN, DQDB, etc. The next step in the development of broadband communications is the specification, standardization and validation of appropriate services, which suitably support the evolving distributed multimedia applications. This paper provides an overview of the state-of-the-art of broadband services and applications as currently discussed in various bodies like ITU-T, ETSI and the ATM Forum. A unification of the terminology is undertaken and a basic framework is described in order to provide an understanding of the concepts. It is important to note that the activities of standardization bodies are just targeted towards service specifications, but will not consider the realization of these services. The Telecommunications Information Networking Architecture Consortium (TINA-C) follows an approach which tackle both issues, the service specifications on the one hand and the realization of these services supported by an appropriate Support Environment (SE) on the other hand. It is discussed and suggested that the models and concepts of TINA-C should be universally adopted for the development of broadband telecommunication services.