Chapter 8. Evolving to RBB: Systems Issues, Approaches, and Prognoses
This chapter covers the following topics:
Server Congestion
Cache Selection
Addressing Issues
Connection Model
Equal Access of Multiple Networks
Transmission Protocol
Television over the Internet
The Systems Problem
Full-service Networking
Prognoses
The Key Predictor of RBB Success
Access Networks and Home Networks have made tremendous strides over the past few years. The research and development work of companies, standards bodies, and academics worldwide has resulted in technologies that move megabits over thin wires and thin air. There has been a flood of venture capital, startup companies, multimillion-dollar mergers, and initial public offerings (IPOs) of publicly traded stock. Product introduction moves at a rate faster than anticipated.
But Access Networks and Home Networks are still only parts of the larger puzzle to provide large-scale, end-to-end systems for Internet and entertainment services to the home. Important systems problems beyond the scope of any single network must be overcome, as well as problems beyond the scope of business networks. These are some systems issues addressed here:
Server congestion
Cache selection
Addressing
Equal access
Transmission protocol selection
How to limit the scope of Internet broadcasts to conform with licensing restrictions
How to provide broadcast video services over the Internet
Advantages and issues of full-service networking
This is meant to be only a subset of systems issues confronting service providers. Trials of RBB networks to date are concerned with resolving primarily physical-layer challenges, such as modulation and forward error correction. However, to service millions of users cheaply with good monitoring by the carrier, a systems approach is required. This chapter reviews some systems challenges and some approaches to provide RBB service. At the end of the chapter, the text presents social issues and makes some remarks about prognoses.