The emerging resource and admission control function standards and their application to the new triple-play services

The next-generation network (NGN) is characterized by, among other characteristics, the prevalent use of the Internet Protocol (IP) for end-to-end packet transfer. In contrast to today's specialized networks optimized for specific applications, NGN is a general multiservice network that must meet a wide range of application performance needs and security requirements. The key to fulfilling this complex duty is a dynamic, policy-based resource management framework, known as the Resource and Admission Control Functions (RACF). This paper discusses the relevant standardization efforts and provides a vision for the future work in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), 3rd Generation Partnership Projects (3GPP ∗ and 3GPP2), Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), and European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). The discussion is illustrated by the applications of the RACF architecture to the new triple-play services: high-speed Internet, IP television (video on demand or regular broadcasts), and telephone service over a single broadband connection. © 2007 Alcatel-Lucent.