Architectures for broadband residential IP services over CATV networks

Abstract

The current state of the art in digital broadband access technologies to support emerging telecommunications services makes imminent the introduction of interactive broadband servicesincluding data, video and the Internetinto the residential market. Over the last few years, much attention has been paid to the development of media access control protocols for cable TV network4 that will allow the immediate support of broadband data services as the first stLp toward enhanced communications services for residential users. Here we review some of the architectural options that must be carefully considered in order to deliver IP ser.vices to such users in an efficient yet flexible manner. residential cable data services are expected to r Internet access, work-at-home applications, business access, local area network LAN-LAN erconnect, and LAN emulation services over cable networks. These services are anticipated as a natural extension to the residential consumer market of the data networking capabilities in the business sector today [ 11.Although related residential Internet Protocol (IP) services are already being trialed in the marketplace, substantive standardization efforts in this area did not materialize until quite recently. So far, the reference service model for such data services has been loosely fashioned from an initial request for proposals (RFP) by Cable Labs [2]. Over the last couple of years the IEEE Project 802.14 Working Group has been developing a set of specifications for physical and data link layer protocols [3, 41, including ADAPt+ [5], which will be applicable to supporting data service over cable networks and other broadband access infrastructures [6]. More recently, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) has created the IP over Cable Data Networks (IPCDN) Working Group to address data service architectural issues similar, if not identical, to those applying to the initial Cable Lab's proposal. In order to ensure interoperability among vendors, a common data service framework that clearly specifies how IP-based services could be implemented over CATV and other similar access networks will be required. This service specification would be expected to identify required hardwarelsoftware components, signaling interfaces between them, and IP transportlrouting services over the access network, as well as network provisioning, configuration, and management. Among the data networking issues, special attention should be paid to: * Configuration of the physical and logical (IP) subnetworks 0 Support for data forwardinglrouting services, including IP Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) and the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) * Host address configuration Subscription * Security In addition, any proposed access architecture for broadband residential data services will be expected to support existing IP services such as the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol [6], Domain Name System [8], IP Multicasting and Internet Group Management Protocol [9], Resource Reservation Protocol [lo], Integrated Serv...

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