The ETSI BSM architecture for quality of service

The BSM (broadband satellite multimedia) architecture is characterized by the separation between common satellite-independent (SI) protocol layers and alternative lower Satellite-Dependent (SD) layers, which are connected through the satellite independent service access point (SI-SAP). In general the SI-SAP offers an agnostic interface to whichever SD layer is used. So QoS provision in the BSM architecture has to face the issue of traversing the SI-SAP interface by means of standardized signalling, which shall enable on one side maintaining compatibility with existing QoS functions required in the IP layers and above, and on the other side communication to the lower layer entities deputed to QoS accomplishment. This paper presents this QoS framework for both DiffServ, and RSVP/IntServ, focusing attention on the key concept of QIDs (queue identifiers) and on the way to handle them. In the BSM architecture QIDs represent abstract queues, each with a defined class of service, for transfer of IP packets to the SD layers.