Component-based policy deployment for service level differentiation in converging communication networks

The introduction of service level differentiation in IP networks requires adequate support for defining and administrating network resource usage with regard to QoS, routing and accounting. This paper proposes the abstract switch toolkit (AST), a component-based flexible and scalable framework for defining and administrating IP network control and management. AST is designed for wire-speed switching routers supporting flow detection. With its open and flexible character, AST simplifies the introduction of customized QoS and policy-based routing. A particular advantage of AST is its support for interoperability between public switched and IP-based networks.