One document matched: draft-pierce-tsvwg-assured-service-arch-00.txt


     Internet Engineering Task Force                             Mike Pierce 
     Internet Draft                                                    Artel 
     draft-pierce-tsvwg-assured-service-arch-00.txt                 Don Choi 
     April 2004                                                         DISA 
     Expires October 2004 
      
      
         Architecture for Assured Service Capabilities in Voice over IP 
                 draft-pierce-tsvwg-assured-service-arch-00.txt 
      
      
     Status of this memo 
         
        This document is an Internet-Draft and is in full conformance with 
        all provisions of Section 10 of RFC2026. 
         
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        Task Force (IETF), its areas, and its working groups. Note that 
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        The list of current Internet-Drafts can be accessed at 
        http://www.ietf.org/ietf/1id-abstracts.txt 
         
        To view the list Internet-Draft Shadow Directories, see 
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     Copyright 
      
        Copyright (C) Internet Society 2004. All rights reserved. 
        Reproduction or translation of the complete document, but not of 
        extracts, including this notice, is freely permitted. 
         
         
     Abstract 
         
        Assured Service refers to the set of capabilities used to ensure 
        that mission critical communications are setup and remain connected. 
        This memo describes the architecture required to meet the 
        requirements detailed in [Pierce1]. 
         
         
         
         
         
         
      
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                               Table of Contents 
      
     0.   History..........................................................2 
     1.   Introduction.....................................................2 
     2.   Architectures....................................................3 
       2.1.  End-to-end Architecture.......................................3 
       2.2.  Service Provider Network Architecture.........................3 
     3.   Required Architecture............................................4 
     4.   Required Procedures..............................................6 
       4.1.  Authentication................................................6 
       4.2.  Function of Proxy.............................................6 
       4.3.  Function of the Access Router.................................7 
       4.4.  Function of User Agent........................................7 
       4.5.  Session Control...............................................8 
     5.   Security Considerations..........................................8 
     6.   References.......................................................8 
     7.   Authors' Addresses...............................................9 
         
         
     0.   History 
         
        (To be removed before publication.) 
         
        This draft was originally submitted under SIPPING and then IEPREP. 
        This revision is being submitted under  TSVWG since IEPREP is 
        essentially inactive. 
         
        (SIPPING) -00: Original 
         
        (IEPREP) -00: Added Access Router to architecture required to 
        support Assured Service. 
         
        -01 Updated references 
         
        -02 Updated references and minor editorial changes. 
         
        (TSVWG) 
         
        -00 Updated references and added references to CAC. 
         
     1.   Introduction 
         
        The requirements for Assured Service are given in [Pierce1]. Many 
        other drafts and RFCs have addressed the assumed architecture for 
        the provision of SIP-based services. A lot of consideration has been 
        given to continued reliance on the pure peer-to-peer model on which 
        the Internet (and especially HTTP) has been based vs. migration to 
        centralized control models in which dedicated proxies perform 
        specific functions for the control of telephony services. This would 
        include, possibly, full knowledge of the state of each call. 
         
        While there is an wide-spread desire expressed in various IETF 
      
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        discussions to maintain (or return to) the pure peer-to-peer 
        architecture, there has been increasing admissions in various drafts 
        that centralized control or intelligent "middleboxes" are required 
        in many cases. Some examples are: 
         
        1. RFC 3261 defines the notion of a "Call Stateful proxy", which 
        "retains state for a dialog from the initiating INVITE to the 
        terminating BYE request", i.e., for the duration of a call. However, 
        no use of this state has been included in the current version of SIP 
        [RFC3261]. 
         
        2. Draft-ietf-sipping-cc-framework-02 included the concept of a 
        "central control" signaling model. 
         
        3. The abstract for draft-ietf-sipping-service-examples-06 
        recognizes that "some [services] require the assistance of a SIP 
        Proxy", and it states that the flows shown assume "a network of 
        proxies, registrars, PSTN gateways, and other SIP servers". 
         
        4. RFC 3325 for identity and privacy is based fully on use of a 
        network of trusted SIP servers. It states that "these mechanisms 
        provide no means by which end users can securely share identity 
        information end-to-end without a trusted service provider." 
         
         
     2.   Architectures 
         
        Various discussions and memos have identified two potential network 
        architectures for the provision of SIP services. They are briefly: 
         
     2.1. End-to-end Architecture 
         
        All service provision is between and under control of the calling 
        and called party, referred to as "User Agent Client (UAC)" and "User 
        Agent Server (UAS)", respectively. This terminology of "client" and 
        "server" are based on the HTTP model from which this model is 
        derived and have no real significance to this model. Either end can 
        initiate a transaction. There is no device in-between which provides 
        service support, only routers for packets. Other required devices 
        (address translation, etc.) which the calling user must access are 
        simply additional UAS's. 
         
        There is no "Service Provider" for the voice service, only a 
        provider of the packet switched infrastructure. 
      
     2.2. Service Provider Network Architecture 
         
        A Service Provider maintains and controls network elements which 
        play an active role in the provision of services to end users. These 
        network elements may be referred to as back-to-back user agents 
        (B2BUA), proxies, servers, middleboxes, or intermediaries but they 
        all have the common characteristic of being provided by a trusted 
      
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        Service Provider and they provide an important logical function 
        between the end users. These elements terminate SIP messages, 
        perform service control, and send new or modified SIP messages to 
        other network elements or to the other user. The result is that no 
        SIP message goes directly from one UA to the other (unless 
        specifically authorized by the control element). 
         
        The "Service Provider" may be the same company or entity which 
        provides part or all of the packet switched infrastructure. 
         
         
     3.   Required Architecture 
         
        In order to provide the security and feature control required for 
        Assured Service as defined in [Pierce1], it is necessary to utilize 
        the Service Provider Network Architecture in which proxies are used 
        to support call origination and termination for each user involved 
        in the service. The architecture is the "trapezoid" described in SIP 
        [RFC3261] as follows (figure actually copied from RFC 3263): 
         
        ............................          .............................. 
        .                          .          .                            . 
        .                +-------+ .          . +-------+                  . 
        .                |       | .          . |       |                  . 
        .                | Proxy |------------- | Proxy |                  . 
        .                |   1   | .          . |  2    |                  . 
        .                |       | .          . |       |                  . 
        .              / +-------+ .          . +-------+ \                . 
        .             /            .          .            \               . 
        .            /             .          .             \              . 
        .           /              .          .              \             . 
        .          /               .          .               \            . 
        .         /                .          .                \           . 
        .        /                 .          .                 \          . 
        .       /                  .          .                  \         . 
        .   +-------+              .          .                +-------+   . 
        .   |       |              .          .                |       |   . 
        .   |       |              .          .                |       |   . 
        .   | UA 1  |              .          .                | UA 2  |   . 
        .   |       |              .          .                |       |   . 
        .   +-------+              .          .                +-------+   . 
        .              Domain A    .          .   Domain B                 . 
        ............................          .............................. 
         
        Interfaces: 
         
        (1) Originating UA 1 to Proxy 1: Authentication and all SIP messages 
            to/from UA 1 
        (2) Proxy 1 to Proxy 2 (and to other devices such as policy 
            servers): SIP messages and policy actions 
        (3) Proxy 2 to terminating UA 2: Authentication and all SIP messages 
            to/from U 2 
      
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        (4) Originating UA 1 to terminating UA 2: Voice packets, no 
            signaling messages 
         
        However, the above architecture requires the addition of another 
        component to provide control of the user's data packets (voice) in 
        the Assured Service case. This is important since the packets 
        themselves need to be marked for preferential treatment, including 
        the ability to get "priority" over the packet transfer of another 
        user. 
         
        There must be an access router, generally at the boundary between 
        the local network and the core network. This may be between the 
        Ethernet LAN and the IP "cloud" or it may be between the locally 
        controlled IP network and the global IP network. In any case, its 
        function is to regulate the transport of priority marked packets 
        into the core. 
         
        The following figure depicts this architecture: 
         
         
        .............................         .............................. 
        .                           .         .                            . 
        .           +-------+       .         .       +-------+            . 
        .           |       |       .   (2)   .       |       |            . 
        .           | Proxy |------------------------ | Proxy |            . 
        .           |   1   |       .         .       |  2    |            . 
        .           |       |       .         .       |       |            . 
        .           +-------+       .         .       +-------+            . 
        .            /    \         .         .         /    \             . 
        .       (1) /      \ (1a)   .         .   (3a) /      \ (3)        . 
        .          /        \       .         .       /        \           . 
        .         /          \      .         .      /          \          . 
        .  +-------+       +----+   .         .   +----+       +-------+   . 
        .  |       |  (4a) | AR |   .   (4b)  .   | AR | (4c)  |       |   . 
        .  | UA 1  |------>|  1 |---------------->|  2 |------>| UA 2  |   . 
        .  |       |       |    |   .         .   |    |       |       |   . 
        .  +-------+       +----+   .         .   +----+       +-------+   . 
        . Domain A                  .         .                   Domain B . 
        .............................         .............................. 
         
        Interfaces: 
         
        (1)  Originating UA 1 to Proxy 1: Authentication and all SIP 
            messages to/from UA 1 
        (1a and 3a) Proxy to AR: instructions to allow voice packet 
            transport 
        (2)  Proxy 1 to Proxy 2 (and to other devices such as policy 
            servers): SIP messages and policy actions 
        (3)  Proxy 2 to terminating UA 2: Authentication and all SIP 
            messages to/from U 2 
        (4a) Originating UA 1 to AR 1: attempted voice packets 
        (4b) AR 1 to AR 2: authorized voice packets 
      
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        (4c) AR 2 to UA 2: authorized voice packets 
         
         
     4.   Required Procedures 
         
     4.1. Authentication 
         
        Each UA which might use the Assured Service capability must 
        authenticate with a designated proxy before any service activation 
        is attempted. Normally, this would be at the time the device is 
        powered on, connected to the network, or is initialized, or it might 
        be done at pre-determined time intervals. Whether or not this 
        authentication requires a user interaction (human entry of a 
        password, retina scan, etc.) is not important and depends on the 
        application. Such an authentication may be very time consuming, with 
        password verification and policy data-base look-ups. After this 
        authentication, this proxy must handle all session establishments, 
        both to and from this UA. 
         
        This authentication function may be performed when the user attempts 
        the first session setup, for example, when an individual is allowed 
        to use a common device by first "logging on" with their identity and 
        password. In fact, this is still an "authentication" function 
        performed before the session setup is attempted. However, in this 
        case, it must be understood that there may be an additional delay 
        due to the authentication process before a call can be placed. 
         
        This authentication process is not unique to the provision of the 
        Assured Service capability. It is also required for many other 
        services which are to be provided by the service provider's proxy 
        based on pre-established authorizations. 
         
     4.2. Function of Proxy 
         
        Besides the processing of the authentication, each proxy is 
        responsible for a number of functions important to the provision of 
        Assured Service (as well as other services) and the handling of 
        interactions, where required, between different services. This 
        includes: 
         
        - maintaining state of all existing sessions, including their 
          priority, which exist on all UAs under its control (both 
          originating and terminating proxies). 
           
        - maintaining knowledge of other services being used by the UA which 
          might need to be taken into consideration when applying the 
          Assured Service capabilities (both originating and terminating 
          proxies). 
           
        - verifying that the originating UA is allowed to establish the 
          session at the precedence level requested (originating proxy). 
           
      
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        - performing the Call Admission Control functions of deciding 
          whether or not a new call (and the resulting packet flow) can be 
          setup based on knowledge of the current load and the allowable 
          load (originating proxy). 
           
        - establish permission at the access router for it to handle the 
          precedence marked packets from the UA (both originating and 
          terminating proxies). 
           
        - performing the timing function to control the diversion service 
          (terminating proxy). 
           
        - deciding when to preempt the end user and sending the appropriate 
          preempt messages to the other party (both originating and 
          terminating proxies). 
           
        - maintaining records of the use of the service, whether for 
          accounting or auditing purposes (both originating and terminating 
          proxies). 
         
     4.3. Function of the Access Router 
         
        The access router serves the functions of ingress router and egress 
        router referred to in various RFCs. 
         
        The access router, under control of the proxy, decides which packets 
        are to be transported between networks or domains. If authorization 
        has not been granted for the transport of a specific packet flow at 
        the precedence level indicated in the packets, the access router 
        must discard the packets. 
         
        Additionally, there may be cases in which a currently transported 
        packet stream must be stopped, for example, to support preemption. 
        Since the Assured Service may not be able to rely on the UA to stop 
        the flow, it may be necessary for the access router, again under 
        control of the proxy, to stop transporting a particular flow. 
         
        An access router may also be capable of recognizing traffic overload 
        and notifying other network entities of this situation. It may also 
        contain procedures to provide short-term relief from such overload 
        conditions, such as providing preferential treatment of some packets 
        based on their markings (for example, as defined in DiffServ). 
         
     4.4. Function of User Agent 
         
        The User Agent may be either the end user's telephone device or a 
        gateway to a non-IP network. It is responsible for initiating or 
        terminating a call setup request with the responsible proxy. In 
        addition, it is responsible for sending voice packets to and 
        receiving them from the appropriate access router. 
         

      
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     4.5. Session Control 
         
        Session establishment and release should follow the same message 
        sequence as defined in SIP and its extensions for non-Assured 
        Service calls. There should not be any additional messages to setup 
        an Assured Service call. The only additional requirements are the 
        inclusion of: 
         
        - the priority level as defined in [Resource] in the INVITE 
           
        - security related information in every message which might consist 
          of an authentication header (AH) using cryptographic techniques to 
          allow the receiving end (user or proxy) to validate the 
          authenticity of the message before acting on it. (This requirement 
          is not unique to Assured Service, but is also required to secure 
          other capabilities.) 
         
        If preemption of sessions (calls) is supported, there may be unique 
        messages to control this function. 
         
     5.   Security Considerations 
         
        This memo mostly deals with the architecture required to support the 
        necessary security. While it does not attempt to define the actual 
        security mechanisms used for authentication and authorization, it 
        establishes the service architecture required as a basis for 
        security. 
         
         
     6.   References 
         
        [RFC3261] RFC 3261, "SIP: Session Initiation Protocol", J. 
        Rosenberg, et al, June 2002. 
         
        [RFC3313] RFC 3313, "Private SIP Extensions for Media 
        Authorization", W. Marshall, May 2002. 
         
        [RFC3323] RFC 3323 "A Privacy Mechanism for the Session Initiation 
        Protocol (SIP)", J. Peterson, November 2002. 
         
        [RFC3325] RFC 3325, "SIP extensions for Network-asserted Caller 
        Identity and Privacy within Trusted Networks", C. Jennings, et al, 
        February 2002. 
         
        [Pierce1] draft-pierce-tsvwg-assured-service-req-00, "Requirements 
        for Assured Service Capabilities in Voice over IP", April 2004. 
         
        [Resource] draft-ietf-sip-resource-priority-03, "SIP Communications 
        Resource Priority Header", Henning Schulzrinne and James Polk, March 
        2004. 
         
         
      
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     7.   Authors' Addresses 
         
        Michael Pierce 
        Artel 
        1893 Preston White Drive 
        Reston, VA 20191 
        Phone: +1 410.817.4795 
        Email: pierce1m@ncr.disa.mil 
         
        Don Choi 
        DISA 
        5600 Columbia Pike 
        Falls Church, VA 22041-2717 
        Phone: +1 703.681.2312 
        Email: choid@ncr.disa.mil 
         
         
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