Optimization of Inter-Domain Presence Traffic Based on Privacy Rule Sharing: Performance and Impact on the IMS

Presence information was the key enabler of the great success of instant messaging applications. This information was first limited to simple binary states such as online, offline, or busy. However, it is currently evolving towards a much more generic, flexible concept that includes all context that enables users or applications to adapt and control communications in a more efficient, personalized manner. Presence paves the way for the deployment of advanced communication services and is therefore a key component in Next-Generation Networks. The main barrier to the implantation of next-generation presence-based services is the great amount of traffic involved in the distribution of presence information across domains. In this paper, we give a deep insight into multiple strategies for reducing inter-domain presence traffic. We estimate the capacity demands of these strategies on the IMS servers. Moreover, we enhance two strategies for reducing presence load: Common Subscribe and Federated Common Subscribe. Not only do the proposed enhancements prevent the disclosure of some privacy, they also save presence traffic.