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An overview of SatLabs high-priority working groups |
 28
Apr 2005: The SatLabs Group is busy working to increase the extent of
DVB-RCS interoperability and reduce the cost of service provision, in
addition to setting up the SatLabs Qualification Program and the
definition of requirements associated with basic interoperability.
The SatLabs working groups (WG) are: - Quality of Service
- Management and control harmonisation
- Interoperable Protocol Enhancing Proxy (i-PEP)
- Terminal installation
Quality of Service
This
WG aims to define a common approach for implementing Quality of Service
(QoS) in DVB-RCS systems. Today no one common approach exists, which is
needed to achieve full service-level interoperability. A common
understanding has been reached on how capacity allocation is to be
interpreted by the various manufacturers. Agreements on a basic
definition of Classes of Service (CoS) and associated Per-Hop
Behaviours (PHBs) have been reached as well as on mechanisms to map CoS
into DVB-RCS capacity request mechanisms. These definitions will be
further elaborated into a specification. The final outcome will be a
blueprint for mapping DiffServ traffic classes into DVB-RCS capacity
requests.
Management and Control Harmonization
This
WG is focused on the definition of requirements for a DVB-RCS
harmonised management and control plane in order to improve
interoperability. In the short term the group aims to define harmonised
management functions and mechanisms for access (star) networks. In the
longer term other network scenarios will be considered (star and mesh
networks using transparent and regenerative satellite systems) for both
management and control functions. In particular, a definition of
requirements for a common DVB-RCS Connection Control Protocol
supporting emerging real time peer-to-peer applications in several
network scenarios will be addressed.
PEP interoperability
This
WG intends to collect requirements related to transport protocol
enhancements for interactive Internet use over satellite. In addition,
the group will address requirements on higher layer layers, such as Web
caching or pre-fetching. The group has decided that SCPS-TP is the
preferred choice for an accelerated transport protocol for use over
satellite. As a second step the group will produce a specification for
the use of SCPS-TP transport protocol in its specific DVB-RCS setting.
Internet traffic over satellite is impacted by the GEO delay, and many
proprietary solutions are being offered. All these solutions are
incompatible with each other. SatLabs PEP WG intends to promote a
minimal interoperable solution for this so that terminals and hubs of
various vendors can interoperate.
Terminal Installation
The
aim of this WG is to define methods for the low cost installation of
DVB-RCS terminals. Current practices are expensive and limit the
acceptance and appeal of DVB-RCS terminals. By making the installation
of terminals easier and cheaper to perform, the uptake of DVB-RCS will
become more effective. A preparatory study is in its final stages, and
currently under final review. The final expected outcome is an
identification of methods, which will simplify and reduce the cost of
installing terminals. The study will also provide information as to how
the methods can be realised. The WG will then work on common practises
that can be applied in different DVB-RCS terminals and systems.
In
addition to these working groups the SatLabs Group is working to reduce
the cost of user terminals by means of defining a common specification
for critical components and interfaces.
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