QoS within Nile Service Block
- Enhance User Experience: Provide a high level of user experience from a QoS perspective, prioritizing Voice/Video and relevant business applications to receive service preference.
- Simplify QoS Requirements: Advocate for architectural simplicity through a zero-configuration model.
- Enable Wireless QoS: Leverage 802.11e WMM and EDCA capabilities to ensure efficient wireless QoS.
- Preserve QoS Across Networks: Maintain QoS standards through the Nile NSB network.
- Support for Multiple Priorities and Classes:
- Enables classification into 4 priority categories:
- Network Control & Voice
- Video & Business Premium/Critical
- Background
- Best Effort/Low Priority
- Maps these categories to WMM 802.11e Access Classes and aligns with conventional switch/router tiers (e.g., "Platinum/Gold/Silver/Bronze").
- DSCP-Based Classification and Re-Marking:
- Supports the capability to classify and re-mark DSCP values based on DPI (Deep Packet Inspection).
- Prioritizes DSCP-trust principles for trusted applications (e.g., Wi-Fi calling, Zoom, Webex, Teams):
- Re-marks DSCP values based on DPI classification when current DSCP values are below DPI-provided thresholds, applied in both upstream and downstream traffic.
- Traffic Processor/Classifier:
- Implements traffic buffers.
- Supports multiple priority levels and Class-Based Weighted Fair Queuing (CBWFQ), utilizing weight allocation per queue on a profile basis.
The Nile Service Block (NSB) utilizes Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) to identify and prioritize critical real-time applications. The DPI engine performs the following:
- Traffic Identification:
- Analyzes packet headers and payloads to classify traffic into predefined protocol families, such as:
- FAMILY_AUDIO_VIDEO: Includes applications like Zoom, Webex, and Teams.
- FAMILY_AUTHENTICATION, FAMILY_MICROSOFT_OFFICE, etc.
- Dynamic Re-Marking:
- Assigns DSCP values to traffic based on its protocol family and real-time criticality. If an application traffic ingresses the NSB with marking that is lower than what DPI inferences, it is remarked with the DPI suggested DSCP value. For example:
- Voice traffic is assigned DSCP 48 (priority weight 30%).
- Video traffic is assigned DSCP 34 (priority weight 10%).
- Best Effort and Background traffic are given lower priority DSCP values.
- Application Awareness:
- Ensures that traffic for well-known critical applications (e.g., voice calls, video conferencing) is prioritized across the network.
Wi-Fi Calling is unique from other voice protocols since it uses IPSec based connection to send the voice traffic from a mobile device to the carriers ePDG (Evolved Packet Data Gateway).
Note (Evolved Packet Data Gateway (ePDG) is a network component that enables Wi-Fi calling (VoWiFi) by connecting Wi-Fi networks to mobile networks. It's a vital part of VoWiFi, which allows users to make phone calls and video calls over Wi-Fi)
Nile has preconfigured a known set of ePDGs for carriers to identify Wi-Fi Calling flow and assign the right voice priority when traversing the NSB. Nile can work with the customers in different geo locations to add the ePDGs for carriers in the country.
All guest traffic is currently forwarded as Best Effort through the Nile Service Block
