Smarter policy decisions based on metadata in data flows

A method for a Port Control Protocol (PCP) client to receive feedback from a PCP server to enforce policies on transport of media content for a network, the method comprising:

• transmitting, from the PCP client of a first device to a PCP service of a network, a PCP Map request comprising a query whether the PCP client can bundle a plurality of streams into a flow according to a 5-tuple comprising source internet Protocol (IP) address, destination IP address, protocol, source port number, and destination port number;
• and
• receiving, from the PCP server at the PCP client, a response to the query comprising feedback information indicating to the PCP client that bundling is not allowed for at least one of the plurality of streams and is allowed for a rest of the plurality of streams and the network is configured to classify traffic on a per-packet basis, the response including a stream identifier based on the at least one of the plurality of streams and one or more quality of service characteristics for the at least one of the plurality of streams,
• wherein the PCP Map request comprises a PCP Option having:
• a first identifier for identifying packets associated with a first stream of the rest of the plurality of streams allowed to be bundled and one or more first quality of service characteristics associated with the first stream, and
• a second identifier for identifying packets associated with a second stream of the rest of the plurality of streams allowed to be bundled and one or more second quality of service characteristics associated with the second stream different from the one or more first quality of service characteristics,
• wherein packets of the flow are classified on a per-packet basis to enable enforcement of different quality of service characteristics in the PCP option provided by the PCP client on different ones of the plurality of streams, and the different quality of service characteristics are enforced.

A Port Control Protocol (PCP) server for providing feedback to a PCP client and for enforcing policies on transport of media content for a network, the PCP server comprising:

• one or more processors;
• one or more memory elements coupled to the one or more processors;
• a PCP server application that when executed by the one or more processors is configured to receive, from a PCP client of a first device, a PCP Map request comprising a query whether the PCP client can bundle a plurality of streams into a flow according to a 5-tuple comprising source Internet Protocol (IP) address, destination IP address, protocol, source port number, and destination port number;
• and
• a policy application that when executed by the one or more processors is configured to determine whether the PCP client is allowed to bundle the plurality of streams into the flow and the network is configured to classify traffic on a per-packet basis,
• wherein the PCP server application that when executed by the one or more processors is further configured to, in response to determining the PCP client is not allowed to bundle at least one of the plurality of streams into the flow and is allowed to bundle a rest of the plurality of streams into the flow and the network is configured to classify traffic on a per-packet basis:
• transmit, from the PCP server to the PCP client, a PCP Option response to the query comprising feedback information indicating to the PCP client that bundling is not allowed for at least one of the plurality of streams and is allowed for the rest of the plurality of streams and the network is configured to classify traffic on a per-packet basis, the PCP Option response including a stream identifier based on the at least one of the plurality of streams and one or more quality of service characteristics for the at least one of the plurality of streams,
• classify, by the network, packets of the flow on a per-packet basis to enable enforcement of different quality of service characteristics provided by the PCP client on different ones of the plurality of streams, and
• enforce the different quality of service characteristics.

A first device receiving feedback from a PCP server to enforce policies on transport of media content for a network, the first device comprising:

• one or more processors;
• one or more memory elements coupled to the one or more processors;
• and
• a Port Control Protocol (PCP) client application that when executed by the one or more processors is configured to:
• transmit, to the PCP server of a network, a PCP Map request comprising a query whether the PCP client application can bundle a plurality of streams into a flow according to a 5-tuple comprising source Internet Protocol (IP) address, destination IP address, protocol, source port number, and destination port number, and
• receive, from the PCP server at the PCP client application, a PCP Option response to the query comprising feedback information indicating to the PCP client that bundling is not allowed for at least one of the plurality of streams and is allowed for a rest of the plurality of streams and the network is configured to classify traffic on a per-packet basis, the PCP Option response including a stream identifier based on the at least one of the plurality of streams and one or more quality of service characteristics for the at least one of the plurality of streams,
• wherein the PCP Map request comprises a PCP option having one or more of the following:
• a first identifier for identifying packets associated with a first stream of the rest of the plurality of streams allowed to be bundled and one or more first quality of service characteristics associated with the first stream, and
• a second identifier for identifying packets associated with a second stream of the rest of the plurality of streams allowed to be bundled and one or more second quality of service characteristics associated with the second stream different from the one or more first quality of service characteristics,
• wherein packets of the flow are classified on a per-packet basis to enable enforcement of different quality of service characteristics in the PCP option provided by the PCP client on different ones of the plurality of streams, and the different quality of service characteristics are enforced.

One or more computer-readable non-transitory media having logic encoded thereon that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor operable to perform operations for a Port Control Protocol (PCP) server to provide feedback to a PCP client and to enforce policies on transport of media content for a network, the operations comprising:

• receiving, at the PCP server of a network from the PCP client of a first device, a PCP Map request comprising a query whether the PCP client can bundle a plurality of streams into a flow according to a 5-tuple comprising source internet Protocol (IP) address, destination IP address, protocol, source port number, and destination port number;
• determining, by the PCP server using a policy application, whether the PCP client is allowed to bundle the plurality of streams into the flow and the network is configured to classify traffic on a per-packet basis;
• and
• in response to determining the PCP client is not allowed to bundle at least one of the plurality of streams into the flow and is allowed to bundle the plurality of streams into the flow and the network is configured to classify traffic on a per-packet basis:
• transmitting, from the PCP server to the PCP client, a PCP Option response to the query comprising feedback information indicating to the PCP client that bundling is not allowed for at least one of the plurality of streams and is allowed for a rest of the plurality of streams and the network is configured to classify traffic on a per-packet basis, the PCP Option response including a stream identifier based on the at least one of the plurality of streams and one or more quality of service characteristics for the at least one of the plurality of streams,
• classifying, by the network, packets of the flow on a per-packet basis to enable enforcement of different quality of service characteristics provided by the PCP client on different ones of the plurality of streams, and
• enforcing the different quality of service characteristics.

One or more computer-readable non-transitory media having logic encoded thereon that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor operable to perform operations for a Port Control Protocol (PCP) client to receive feedback from a PCP server to enforce policies on transport of media content for a network, the operations comprising:

• transmitting, from the PCP client of a first device to the PCP server of a network, a PCP Map request comprising a query whether the PCP client can bundle a plurality of streams into a flow according to a 5-tuple comprising source Internet Protocol (IP) address, destination IP address, protocol, source port number, and destination port number;
• and
• receiving, from the PCP server at the PCP client, a PCP Option response to the query comprising feedback information indicating to the PCP client that bundling is not allowed for at least one of the plurality of streams and is allowed for a rest of the plurality of streams and the network is configured to classify traffic on a per-packet basis, the PCP Option response including a stream identifier based on the at least one of the plurality of streams and one or more quality of service characteristics for the at least one of the plurality of streams,
• wherein the PCP Map request comprises a PCP Option having:
• a first identifier for identifying packets associated with a first stream of the rest of the plurality of streams allowed to be bundled and one or more first quality of service characteristics associated with the first stream, and
• a second identifier for identifying packets associated with a second stream of the rest of the plurality of streams allowed to be bundled and one or more second quality of service characteristics associated with the second stream different from the one or more first quality of service characteristics,
• wherein packets of the flow are classified on a per-packet basis to enable enforcement of different quality of service characteristics in the PCP option provided by the PCP client on different ones of the plurality of streams, and the different quality of service characteristics are enforced.