Effective and Resource-Efficient Multimedia Communication Using the NIProxy

Adequate and resource-efficient support for multimedia communication in transportation networks is rapidly gaining importance. At the same time, computer networks are being faced with increasing degrees of diversity, for instance in terms of client terminal specifications. We are therefore convinced that any next-generation network should be able to successfully address both these issues. This paper reports on our continued development of the NIProxy, a network intermediary which strives to improve the features and performance of IP-based networks with regard to multimedia communication in an attempt to optimize the experience provided to users of distributed applications. In particular, we describe how the NIProxy system was extended with support for upstream network traffic shaping as well as outbound multimedia service provision. The implications of these enhancements are discussed and we demonstrate and validate, through experimental evaluation, the new possibilities they entail and their added value in terms of user experience optimization.