QoS with TCP/IP and shared media LANs

The QoS over shared media LANs has three major elements: improving the current LANs for QoS, developing QoS aware LANs for future purposes, and utilizing the capabilities of QoS aware LANs optimally. Following the categorization, this paper discusses how TCP/IP is currently carried over the most popular shared media LAN, Ethernet, and how it is developed. An introduction to different LAN and packet based access networks is given. In the context of mapping the IP QoS to link layer, the work of IETF ISSLL group is referred. The shared media MAC protocols are discussed and an example of MAC protocol analysis is carried out by studying Slotted Aloha throughput and delay characteristics.