MUPBED - Applications

Within the framework of MUPBED, four groups of applications are selected: Point-to-point and multi-point video conferencing which require very low latency together with high quality; uncompressed video transmissions which require high quality and low latency in combination with high bandwidth demands; content and storage applications that require huge bandwidths for shorter time intervals and finally, Grid applications as a large group of applications with various different requirements. These four groups of applications are evaluated theoretically and in lab facilities for the deployment in the MUPBED test beds. These results are then used for dimensioning and designing the dynamic resource allocation in the MUPBED ASON/GMPLS network.

The MUPBED application interface discussion focuses on

  • receiving resource requests
  • translation of requests
  • advance reservation emulation
  • adaptation funtion
  

In addition, modelling scenarios are introduced to support the performance evaluation in close collaboration with the experimental verifications in the test-bed.

Content and storage applications (including storage backup and restore and accelerated VoD streaming service)

The Data Transfer System is designed to optimize the transfer of potentially very large files. This system relies on an overlay network architecture, where a set of machines cooperate in the transfer by forwarding among them portions of the files being transferred. Data transfer times are minimized by choosing, for each transfer, the set of relays that maximize the expected throughput.
The Data Transfer System provides a data transfer service between a File Server and a Client by using a suitable set of File Relays as intermediate nodes. A client that needs a file contacts one of the File Proxies, that requests the file to the server and notifies the client when the transfer has been completed. The overlay network is fully connected, that is each File Relay may communicate directly (via a TCP connection) with any other File Relay. In order to minimize the time taken by file transfers, each Server, upon receiving a file transfer request, computes the best path: the sequence of relays from the server to the proxy that is expected to provide the highest possible throughput for the whole duration of the transfer.

High-end interactive video transmissions (including HDTV video transfer)

Within the framework of the MUPBED project, the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) in Germany investigates advanced (SD and HD) interactive video transmissions. Typical application scenarios of such compressed or uncompressed video transmissions can be found in the areas of tele-medicine and for distributed television productions for research and education. The expectations of highest quality material in such applications typically prevent time-consuming compression algorithms and reductions in video resolution. At the same time, the interactive elements of the investigated application scenarios demand smallest end-to-end delays across networks although bandwidth requirements can range up to 1.5 Gbps for uncompressed HDTV transmissions.


Video conferencing (multipoint conferencing)

Telefonica I+D multi-partner video conference aims at improving the subjective quality of the electronic communication experience over other formal aspects. This is possible thanks to the availability of supporting optical and/or data network resources, like those offered in MUPBED, that bring the opportunity to deliver the kind of highly demanding applications, like the multi-partner video conference, with the necessary and required quality.

The multi-partner video conference application proposed by Telefonica I+D is based on a no compression scheme to avoid unnecessary delays and assure a better subjective experience. Additionally, it uses multipoint communications based on multicast distribution as the main supporting resource from the underlying network infrastructure. This approach opens up the possibility of optimising the application deployment while at the same time minimizing the requirements from the supporting network and enabling a high level of scalability of the solution. The figure shows a practical scenario of Telefonica I+D multi-partner video conference over the MUPBED network.