A connection management strategy for next generation broadband satellite networks

This paper describes the Connection Management protocol adopted in the framework of EuroSkyWay (ESW) System, a Ceo-stationary Satellite Network based on high capacity an-board processing payloads designed to provide flexible and efficient broadband connectivity services over the European territory by the end of year 2002. The requirements the ESW Network has to face are quite similar to the one envisaged in the frame of B-ISDN: i.e. ESW is a connection oriented network providing cells transfer and dynamic band allocation to each connection. For this reason the Q.29xx connection control procedures developed for B-ISDN has been assumed as a starting point for the EuroSkyWay User-Network Interface design activity. This choice to allow the reuse, at the maximum extent possible, of a well defined and tested connection control protocol. Although the ESW signaling procedures has been derived from the B-ISDN ones trying to minimize the differences, some customizations have been performed in order to best mach the system requirements of the ESW satellite network. The differences arise mainly from the access, wireless versus wired, and from the adoption of a distributed switching architecture that splits the satellite network node in the Network Control Center on ground and in the Bas-band Processor embarked in the payload. This paper will provide first of all an overview of the ESW Network Architecture and of its Traffic Management strategy. Then the connectivity scenarios and the relevant signaling protocols will be described highlighting the differences with B-ISDN procedures due to the satellite environment adaptations.