Method and apparatus for authenticated quality of service reservation

1. A method of securing a quality of service reservation, the method comprising:

providing a signaling controller;

coupling said signaling controller with a first Quality of Service (QoS) server configured for establishing quality of service in a communication system;

coupling said QoS server with a router located on a local network of a user, wherein said router is coupled with a client computer configured for requesting a QoS reservation from said first QoS server;

receiving by said router a quality of service key for authenticating said client computer, the quality of service key being provided by the user; and

entering said quality of service key in a profile associated with said user at the signaling controller.

2. The method as described in claim 1 , further comprising:

distributing said quality of service key to said signaling controller.

3. The method as described in claim 2 , further comprising:

communicating said quality of service key to a customer support representative.

4. The method as described in claim 3 , wherein said customer support representative enters said quality of service key received from said user into said user profile.

5. The method as described in claim 2 , wherein said distributing said quality of service key to said signaling controller comprises:

calling by the user a customer support representative for said signaling controller and notifying the customer support representative of the value of said quality of service key.

6. The method as described in claim 2 , wherein said distributing said quality of service key to said signaling controller comprises:

transmitting said quality of service key to a customer support representative via email.

7. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the quality of service key is manually provided by the user to said router.

8. A method of securing a quality of service reservation, the method comprising:

providing a signaling controller;

coupling said signaling controller with a first Quality of Service (QoS) server configured for establishing quality of service in a communication system;

coupling said signaling controller with a router located on a local network of a user, wherein said router is coupled with a client computer configured for requesting a QoS reservation from said first QoS server;

establishing a quality of service key for use by said router for authenticating said client computer, the quality of service key being established by the user;

entering said quality of service key in a profile associated with said user at the signaling controller;

receiving from said user said quality of service key for use by said signaling controller;

receiving at said signaling controller a request from said client computer to authorize said first QoS server to provide said router with a QoS reservation; and

conveying an authorization from said signaling controller to said first QoS server so as to authorize said first QoS server to provide said router with said QoS reservation,

wherein said conveying an authorization comprises conveying said quality of service key to said first QoS server.

9. The method as described in claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving a QoS reservation request at said first QoS server from said router.

10. The method as described in claim 8 , further comprising:

in response to receipt by said first QoS server of said QoS reservation request from said router, checking by said first QoS server for said authorization received from said signaling controller; and

utilizing said quality of service key to authenticate said reservation request.

11. The method as described in claim 10 , further comprising:

conveying a reply to said router so as to grant said QoS reservation request.

12. The method as described in claim 11 , further comprising:

utilizing RSVP for said QoS reservation.

13. The method as described in claim 11 , wherein said client computer is a media terminal adapter.

14. The method as described in claim 8 , wherein a secure interface between said signaling controller and said QoS server comprises IPSEC.

15. The method as described in claim 8 , wherein a secure interface between said signaling controller and said client computer comprises IPSEC.

16. The method as described in claim 8 , further comprising:

utilizing RSVP to implement the QoS reservation and wherein said quality of service key is an RSVP authentication key.

17. The method as described in claim 8 , further comprising:

implementing an IP telephony call with said QoS reservation.

18. The method as described in claim 17 , wherein said client computer is a media terminal adapter.

19. The method as described in claim 8 , wherein the quality of service key is manually established by the user.