QoS within Nile Service Block
Objectives
- Enhance User Experience: Deliver high-quality user experience by prioritizing voice, video, and critical business applications.
- Simplify QoS Requirements: Promote architectural simplicity through a zero-configuration model.
- Enable Wireless QoS: Utilize 802.11e WMM and EDCA to ensure efficient wireless QoS.
- Preserve QoS Across Networks: Maintain end-to-end QoS standards across the Nile Service Block (NSB) network.
Capabilities Outline
Support for Multiple Priorities and Classes
Traffic can be classified into four priority categories:
- Network Control and Voice
- Video and Business Premium/Critical
- Background
- Best Effort / Low Priority
These categories are mapped to WMM 802.11e Access Classes and aligned with conventional switch/router service tiers (for example, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze).
DSCP-Based Classification and Re-Marking
- Supports classification and re-marking of DSCP values based on Deep Packet Inspection (DPI).
- Trusted applications such as Wi-Fi Calling, Zoom, Webex, and Teams adhere to DSCP-trust principles.
- If incoming traffic is marked with lower DSCP values than DPI-provided thresholds, re-marking is applied in both upstream and downstream directions.
Traffic Processor and Classifier
- Implements traffic buffering mechanisms.
- Supports multiple priority levels and Class-Based Weighted Fair Queuing (CBWFQ).
- Allocates queue weights dynamically on a profile basis.
DPI and Application Prioritization
The Nile Service Block (NSB) integrates a Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) engine to identify and prioritize latency-sensitive applications.
Traffic Identification
DPI inspects packet headers and payloads to classify traffic into protocol families such as:
- FAMILY_AUDIO_VIDEO: Applications including Zoom, Webex, and Teams
- FAMILY_AUTHENTICATION
- FAMILY_MICROSOFT_OFFICE
- Additional well-known protocol groups
Dynamic Re-Marking
DPI assigns DSCP values to traffic based on protocol family and criticality. If traffic enters the NSB with lower DSCP markings, it is re-marked according to DPI guidance. Examples include:
- Voice traffic: DSCP 48, priority weight 30%
- Video traffic: DSCP 34, priority weight 10%
- Best Effort / Background traffic: Lower-priority DSCP values
Application Awareness
Ensures real-time and business-critical applications, such as voice calls and video conferencing, consistently receive priority handling across the network
Wi-Fi Calling
Wi-Fi Calling differs from other voice protocols because it uses an IPSec-based connection to send voice traffic from a mobile device to the carrier’s Evolved Packet Data Gateway (ePDG).
Note: The ePDG is a core network component that connects Wi-Fi networks to mobile networks, enabling Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi) services such as phone and video calls over Wi-Fi.
Nile maintains a predefined set of known ePDGs for global carriers to correctly identify Wi-Fi Calling flows and assign the appropriate voice priority when traffic traverses the NSB. Nile also collaborates with customers in different regions to add carrier-specific ePDGs as needed.
Guest Traffic
All guest traffic is forwarded through the Nile Service Block as Best Effort.