YouQoS – Combining Quality of Service with Network Neutrality

Abstract:
Broadband Internet connectivity is often limited by the last mile, which’s average achievable data rate is rising only slowly. Quality of Service (QoS) measures to improve on existing lines may easily violate regulatory rules for privacy and network neutrality. YouQoS is a concept for user-controlled traffic management, which preserves privacy and network neutrality, while offering supreme Quality of Service especially in downstream direction. The idea is that users provide information on general preferences and situation-specific needs that an arbiter in the network uses to send flow configuration commands to the respective access network equipment. The arbiter, called the YouQoS Server, is a broker that on the one hand prevents user-provided private information from leaking, and on the other hand prevents the creation of malicious commands towards network operator equipment. In future Software-Defined Access Networks (SDAN) the only remaining physical devices will be simplified Software- Defined Network (SDN) Datapaths. To investigate options for YouQoS usage together with those SDN Datapaths, the YouQoS Box was defined. It implements all necessary YouQoS functionalities, like packet inspection, QoS marking, and shaping, in order to identify the most efficient function splits. With this device, it will be possible to add advanced functionality and full visibility to QoS experimentation. The YouQoS Box might even be added to current access networks between Broadband Remote Access Server (BRAS) and DSL Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) to provide the YouQoS service.