Realizing a scalable edge device to meet QoS requirements for real-time content delivered to IP broadband customers

With digital subscriber line (DSL) technology becoming widespread, more and more customers have access to high-speed Internet backbones. Such links not only speed up classical best effort applications but also make new applications like video and audio on demand possible. Unlike best effort applications, these new applications have more requirements for network quality of service, especially an assured bandwidth. Under the assumption that the link to the customer is the main bottleneck, a new simple, scalable edge node approach that has been developed in a cooperation between the University of Essen and British Telecom (BT) is presented. The approach provides a solution to guaranteeing certain flows, while making others the subject of focused packet discards. While the performance aspect of the new device is currently under research, the focus is on implementability and providing a security concept.