K. Salah 1

A Methodology for Successful A Methodology for Successful Voice over IP DeploymentVoice over IP Deployment

An Approved Research ProposalAn Approved Research ProposalSubmitted ToSubmitted To

DEANSHIP OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHDEANSHIP OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHKFUPM Research GrantsKFUPM Research Grants

ByBy

Khaled SalahKhaled Salah

K. Salah 2October 2005

OutlineOutline

Introduction and challenging questionsIntroduction and challenging questions Existing toolsExisting tools Drawbacks of existing toolsDrawbacks of existing tools Advantages of Proposed WorkAdvantages of Proposed Work Case StudyCase Study Proposed MethodologyProposed Methodology Project ObjectivesProject Objectives Project phases and schedulingProject phases and scheduling EquipmentEquipment BudgetBudget SummarySummary

K. Salah 3October 2005

IntroductionIntroduction

Importance of VoIPImportance of VoIP Unification of data and voice networks It is easier to run, manage, and maintain.

Existing IP networks are best effort and VoIP requires QoSExisting IP networks are best effort and VoIP requires QoS

Challenging questionsChallenging questions What are the QoS requirements for VoIP? How will the new VoIP load impact the QoS of currently running

network services and applications? Will my existing network support VoIP and satisfy the

standardized QoS requirements? If so, how many VoIP calls can the network support before

upgrading prematurely any part of the existing network hardware?

K. Salah 4October 2005

Existing ToolsExisting Tools

Ample of commercial toolsAmple of commercial tools NetIQ Brix Networks Agilent Cisco Avaya Siemens

Uses two common approaches for assessing the Uses two common approaches for assessing the deployment of VoIPdeployment of VoIP Take network measurements and then predict the

readiness based on the health of network Inject real VoIP traffic and measure QoS

K. Salah 5October 2005

Drawbacks of Existing ToolsDrawbacks of Existing Tools

CommercialCommercial

Injection approach can be intrusive to operation of Injection approach can be intrusive to operation of existing networkexisting network

None offers a comprehensive approach or methodology None offers a comprehensive approach or methodology for successful VoIP deployment. for successful VoIP deployment. No answers to all challenging questions, e.g.

Number of calls Call distribution Call flow Future growth Impact on existing network apps

K. Salah 6October 2005

Advantages of Proposed WorkAdvantages of Proposed Work No costNo cost

Typical institutions Free

For well-to-do institutions: Can be used to measure the degree of accuracy of commercially-available tools, and

thus help in selecting the proper tool to use. Based on using already existing free tools readily available to network Based on using already existing free tools readily available to network

managers. managers. Based on an analytical approach to Based on an analytical approach to easilyeasily and and quicklyquickly predict the number of predict the number of

voice calls that can be supported. voice calls that can be supported. The learning curve of using complicated commercial curve is minimized

Use of OPNETUse of OPNET Popular in industry and free for academia Research work will be valuable to show how to use OPNET for VoIP deployment

No injection method, and thus non disruptive to network services and No injection method, and thus non disruptive to network services and operationsoperations

Address all concerns and challenging questionsAddress all concerns and challenging questions

K. Salah 7October 2005

Case StudyCase Study

Floor 1

Internet

7

Switch 1 Switch 2

. . .

User PCs

Workgroupserver

Floor 3

. . .

User PCs

Floor 2

. . .

User PCs

Databaseserver E-Mail

server

Fileserver HTTP

server

Web &cacheproxy

Firewall

Router

Printerserver

Workgroupserver

Printerserver

Workgroupserver

Printerserver

K. Salah 8October 2005

Proposed MethodologyProposed Methodology

Determine VoIP characteristics and requirementsDetermine VoIP characteristics and requirements Determine VoIP traffic flow and call distributionDetermine VoIP traffic flow and call distribution Define performance thresholds and growth capacityDefine performance thresholds and growth capacity Perform network measurementsPerform network measurements Early modifications to existing network Early modifications to existing network Theoretical AnalysisTheoretical Analysis OPNET SimulationOPNET Simulation Comparison of Simulation and AnalysisComparison of Simulation and Analysis Final modifications to existing networkFinal modifications to existing network

K. Salah 9October 2005

Project ObjectivesProject Objectives

Develop an Develop an analytic approachanalytic approach to assess the readiness of an to assess the readiness of an existing network to support VoIP while meeting the QoS existing network to support VoIP while meeting the QoS requirements for VoIP and at the same time not affecting requirements for VoIP and at the same time not affecting negatively the quality of existing applications. negatively the quality of existing applications.

Develop a Develop a simulation approachsimulation approach which serves multiple purposes: which serves multiple purposes: to verify and validate the analytic approach to produce various details on OPNET configuration and setup that

can be extremely valuable for the research community as well as industry

Produce, with adequate details, a Produce, with adequate details, a step-by-step methodologystep-by-step methodology for for deploying popular real-time network services such as VoIP.deploying popular real-time network services such as VoIP.

Address Address all the challenging questions and issuesall the challenging questions and issues pertaining to pertaining to the deployment of VoIP. the deployment of VoIP.

K. Salah 10October 2005

EquipmentEquipment

LaptopLaptop to run OPNET simulation as well as Matlab

programs. to measure traffic at various point of an existing

network.

Network MiscNetwork Misc

K. Salah 11October 2005

Project phases and schedulingProject phases and scheduling

Phase I: (Period of six months)Phase I: (Period of six months) Defining the order and the details of the step-by-step methodology. Make any necessary modifications to existing network, and make proper

assumptions for network flow and call distribution. Develop mathematical analysis and models to assess the readiness and support of

an existing network. Derive equations to compute the number of VoIP calls to be supported. Plot, obtain, and study analytical findings.

Phase II: (Period of six months)Phase II: (Period of six months) Produce various models and configurations to be used by OPNET simulator. Interpret the results of the simulation findings to assess the network readiness and

support for VoIP deployment. Compare the results of simulation and analysis. Find the error percentage of the

analytic approach to that of simulation. Based on analysis and simulation findings, make the most appropriate

modifications to the existing network to support high QoS VoIP while not impacting negatively existing applications, as well as leaving adequate capacity for future growth.

Prepare and submit the final report.

K. Salah 12October 2005

Project ScheduleProject Schedule

K. Salah 13October 2005

Benefits and UtilizationBenefits and Utilization

Producing mathematical equations to exhibit the readiness and support of Producing mathematical equations to exhibit the readiness and support of an existing network.an existing network.

considering future growth and meeting the QoS requirements for VoIP and at the same time not affecting negatively the performance of existing applications.

The deliverable will be in a form of equations and Matlab programs.

Producing guidelines and configuration files for OPNET, with complete set Producing guidelines and configuration files for OPNET, with complete set of instructions, on how to assess the readiness of an existing network to of instructions, on how to assess the readiness of an existing network to support VoIP. support VoIP.

Produce, with adequate details, a step-by-step methodology for deploying Produce, with adequate details, a step-by-step methodology for deploying popular real-time network services such as VoIP. popular real-time network services such as VoIP.

The deliverable will be in the form of a flow chart with details describing each activity.

The steps must handle important activities of deployment such VoIP requirements, call distribution, background traffic, measurement and impact of existing load, modifications and redimensioning of existing network infrastructure, etc.

K. Salah 14October 2005

Detailed BudgetDetailed Budget

K. Salah 15October 2005

Final CommentsFinal Comments

VoIP will play a vital role in futureVoIP will play a vital role in future

With time and budget, there is considerable work With time and budget, there is considerable work to be doneto be done

The comments of three reviewers were very The comments of three reviewers were very positive and wished to have research outcome positive and wished to have research outcome very soonvery soon