RFC 2216 (rfc2216) - Page 2 of 22
Network Element Service Specification Template
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
RFC 2216 Network Element Service Template September 1997 specifies parameters used to invoke the service, the relationship between those parameters and the service delivered, and the end-to- end behavior obtained by concatenating several instances of the service. Each service definition also specifies the interface between that service and the environment. This includes the parameters needed to invoke the service, informational parameters which the service must make available for use by setup, routing, and management mechanisms, and information which should be carried between end-nodes and network elements by those mechanisms in order to achieve the desired end-to- end behavior. However, a service definition does not describe the specific protocols or mechanisms used to establish state in the network elements for flows that use the described service. Services defined following the guidelines of this document are intended for use both within the global Internet and private IP networks. In certain cases a concatenation of network element services may be used to provide a range of end-to-end behaviors, some more suited to a decentralized internet and some more appropriate for a tightly managed private network. This document points out places where such distinction may be appropriate. This document is comprised of three parts. The first defines some terms used both in this document and in the various service specification documents. The second discusses data formats and representations. The third portion of the document describes the various components of the service specification template. Definitions The following terms are used throughout this document. Service specification documents should employ the same terms to express these concepts. o Quality of Service (QoS) In the context of this document, quality of service refers to the nature of the packet delivery service provided, as described by parameters such as achieved bandwidth, packet delay, and packet loss rates. Traditionally, the Internet has offered a single quality of service, best-effort delivery, with available bandwidth and delay characteristics dependent on instantaneous load. Control over the quality of service seen by applications is exercised by adequate provisioning of the network infrastructure. In contrast, a network with dynamically controllable quality of service allows individual application sessions to request network packet delivery characteristics according to their perceived needs, and may provide Shenker & Wroclawski Informational
