DVB-RCS Bandwidth Performance Metric Analysis

Since April 2006, a two-way satellite communications network has been utilized by DISA to provide warfighters within the CENTCOM AOR with UAV backhaul and dissemination, GBS video dissemination, SIPRNet, andfile transfer capabilities. This network, based on Digital Video Broadcast, Return Channel via Satellite (DVB-RCS) technology currently provides the capability to simultaneously backhaul and disseminate UAV videos within Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Qatar and currently supports over 30 subscriber suites. Since January 2007, the DVB-RCS system has supported Task Force ODIN and the Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO). The Mega Video Suite (MVS) was created to directly support TF ODIN´s mission and is capable of simultaneously backhauling up to six UAV video streams. This additional mission has increased the challenge of managing and allocating the limited return link bandwidth between all DVB-RCS users. Effective analysis of the bandwidth utilization on the DVB-RCS network is an essential component of the overall network management aspect of the system. With satellite bandwidth being exceedingly costly, maximizing bandwidth utilization is necessary for maintaining a cost-effective network. The two-way capability of the DVB-RCS system makes this task even more challenging as satellite bandwidth must be effectively allocated between the forward and return link traffic to maximize the amount of traffic that can traverse the network. This paper describes the bandwidth performance metrics strategy being leveraged for the DVB-RCS network to maximize bandwidth utilization and support the video dissemination requirements of the DVB-RCS system.