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A Multi-Agent Architecture for QoS Management in Multimedia Networks

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Abstract

Increasing interest in the transmission of audiovisual applications over best-effort networks (i.e., IP and ATM ABR, and UBR services) and efficient video-aware congestion control techniques have to be designed in order to improve the video quality in the presence of cell loss. This paper presents a new slice-based discard scheme to be used with Guaranteed Frame Rate service (formerly UBR+). The scheme adaptively and selectively adjusts discard levels to the switch's buffer occupancy, video cell payload types, and Forward Error Correction Drop Tolerance. To improve its performance, we introduce a distributed multiagent system that provides a self-regulating network control management by means of automatic adjustment of congestion control parameters. The control agents are distributed in the network and operate on a local scope referred to as a “domain” consisting of two adjacent ATM switches. The aim of the overall Intelligent Quality-of-Service (QoS) control framework is twofold. First, to ensure graceful picture quality degradation by minimizing the cell loss probability for critical video data while guaranteeing a bounded cell transfer delay. Second, to optimize the network effective throughput by reducing the transmission of “nonuseful” data. Performance evaluations show significant improvement over traditional approaches.

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Boutaba, R., Iraqi, Y. & Mehaoua, A. A Multi-Agent Architecture for QoS Management in Multimedia Networks. Journal of Network and Systems Management 11, 83–107 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022497125456

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022497125456

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