Charging Multicast Services: A Cost Distribution Scheme Comparative Study

In this article we examine the problem of cost distribution in a real-time multicast service across network domains. Current solutions like content distribution networks may not be adequate when real-time (or almost real-time) services are considered. Multicast is a well-known technology that, although requiring significant involvements of all participants, provides a scalable method to offer such services. Assuming each domain that participates in the service can express their cost in terms of QoS parameters, we study the application of charging schemes that combine such unicast cost functions. We implement and compare several charging schemes, one of them our own MXUCS, and show how they reflect the use of resources, their fairness among participants, as well as how are they influenced by content distribution tree topologies.