Quality of service modeling and performance management for network centric applications

We present our initial study that addresses Quality of Service (QoS) needs for end-users and applications in network-centric operations (NCO). In network-centric operations, various systems that traditionally have operated independently now function jointly as a system of systems. In such an environment, networks are heterogeneous and may not share a common network layer protocol. However, existing QoS developments among the current networks assume the use of a common network layer protocol and a common QoS provision mechanism. Little attention has been paid to providing QoS service across heterogeneous networks made of potentially different network layer protocols and QoS provisions. Meanwhile, the QoS of an application providing services in NCO depends not only on traditional packet delivery QoS by networks but also on application layer processing. Our initial approach toward QoS modeling and management for network centric applications is as follows: We first define the application QoS concept under the system of systems paradigm wherein the impact on QoS from application layers is integrated with the traditional packet delivery QoS. We then investigate the potential methodologies to properly model and qualify/quantify the different network layer QoS provision mechanisms in heterogeneous networks. Operating on this modeling and analysis framework, we plan to develop a model-based performance assurance mechanism for effective management of application QoS across heterogeneous network regimes.