Method and apparatus for providing end-to-end quality of service in multiple transport protocol environments using permanent or switched virtual circuit connection management

Abstract

A method and apparatus for ensuring end-to-end QoS for user applications operating in multi-transport protocol environments while using PVC or SVC connection management procedures. A user application at a workstation having specific QoS requirements can selectively connect to one of a plurality of servers having varying QoS profiles, regardless of the transport protocols used in the underlying network. The user application initiates a session with a first QoS negotiator and a first QoS selector. The first QoS negotiator queries a second QoS negotiator for the QoS profile of a connected server. The second QoS negotiator, in conjunction with a second QoS selector, notifies the server of the address of the second QoS negotiator. The second QoS negotiator, in conjunction with the second QoS selector, sends a response to the first QoS negotiator and the first QoS selector indicating QoS profile and connection information of the server. The first QoS selector stores the received QoS profile and connection information in a database. The database is then queried by the user application to determine if a server having the desired QoS profile exists. If such a server does not exist, the QoS selection and negotation procedures are repeated and the database is updated. If a server having the desired QoS profile does exist, a PVC or SVC connection is established between the first and second QoS negotiators and QoS selectors, thereby ensuring end-to-end QoS for the user application and allowing the application to exchange data with the server using the PVC or SVC connection.

1 . A method for establishing end-to-end QoS for a client machine which comprises: 
 querying a plurality of servers for a connection response;    receiving the connection response from at least one of the plurality of servers, the connection response comprising available QoS levels, server information, and connection information;    extracting the QoS level, server information, and connection information from the connection response;    storing the QoS level, server information, and connection information in a connection database;    searching the connection database for a server having a desired QoS level;    repeating the steps of querying, receiving, extracting, storing, and searching until the server having the desired QoS level is identified.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 retrieving the server information and the connection information from the connection database;    selecting a desired server based upon the server information and the network information; and    negotiating a connection between the client application and the desired server using a PVC connection or a SVC connection between the client application and the desired server.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising repeating the steps of retrieving, selecting, and negotiating when a new connection is requested by the client application.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a service selector configured to formulate a connection request for transmission to a server, the connection request indicating service level requirements for a client application;    a data structure configured to receive and store a connection response from the server indicating multiple service level capabilities of the server; and    a communications controller configured to connect the client application to the server based at least in part upon the service level capability.    
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the service selector is configured to store an internet protocol (IP) address of the client machine in the connection request.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the connection response indicates that a PVC connection exists at the server machine, the data structure further configured to store VPI/VCI connection pair values.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the communications controller is configured to establish a PVC connection between the client machine and the server machine when the VPI/VCI connection pair values are detected in the server information.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the connection response indicates that a SVC connection exists at the server machine, the data structure further configured to store an ATM address of the server machine.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the communications controller is configured to establish a SVC connection between the client machine and the server machine when the ATM address of the server machine is detected in the server information.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the communications controller is configured to extract ATM connection information, server mapping information, server QoS information, and server address information from the connection response.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the data structure is configured to store information extracted from the connection response by the communications controller.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the level of service is a Quality of Service (QoS) level and the selector is configured to gather QoS requirements for the client application.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the data structure is configured to store data related to QoS capability of the server.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the selector is further configured to formulate a connection request for transmission to a plurality of servers.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the data structure is further configured to receive a connection response from the plurality of servers indicating service level capability of the respective server.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the level of service is a Quality of Service (QoS) level and the data structure is configured to store data related to QoS capability of the plurality of servers.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the communications controller is further configured to connect the client application to a selected one of the plurality of servers based at least in part upon the service level capability of the selected one of the plurality of servers.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the level of service is a Quality of Service (QoS) level and the communications controller is further configured to connect the client application to a selected one of the plurality of servers based at least in part upon the QoS capability of the selected one of the plurality of servers.