Broadband networks and services: architecture and control

Broadband networks to support a diverse combination of media and services present two interrelated challenges to the designers: how to devise the proper network architectures to efficiently deliver information, and how to realize the control and software infrastructure for end-to-end support of broadband applications. The new networks and applications that represent the future of interactive digital broadband are not driven by technology alone. We should recognize that the true foundation of the future information networking business involves the uses and benefits that it produces. The applications that are driving the information age are numerous, coming from the areas of entertainment, enterprise systems, telecommunications, education, health, etc. The use of client-server distributed object computing technologies is at the foundation of all the software systems that have been designed and implemented. There are still many Issues to he resolved in the application of this software technology, but it is clear that we must rely on distributed software designs to support the features of interactive broadband services. Concerns over the ability to manage complexity and scalability in these large distributed software systems are a common thread and an indication that the technology still needs to mature