Estimating SLAs Availability/Reliability in Multi-services IP Networks

Abstract

Multi-Services IP Networks are being required to deliver unprecedented high volumes of diverse traffic that span two ends of the reliability requirements spectrum. On one end of the spectrum real-time services such as voice and real time TV require high sensitivity to delays and jitter. On the other end of the spectrum best effort services such as data content delivery services requires zero traffic losses and traffic integrity. This paper focuses on investigating the challenges of measuring the end to end service availability given the different layers of resilience in the hierarchical network architecture. It proposes a layered approach to modeling and measurement of multi-services IP networks from which composite availability/reliability estimation models combining convoluted levels of fault resilience can be derived. The resulting models can be readily used to show a Service Level Agreement reliability measure is met from both the service provider and the end user standpoints.