QOS provisioning in a network having dynamic link states

1. A network node for a network having dynamic link states, the network node comprising a processing unit and computer-readable memory for causing the processing unit to:

monitor a link state of the network;

perform QoS provisioning and make appropriate updates to the QoS provisioning based on changes in the link state and QoS provisioning demands of QoS-aware applications; and

provide notification to the QoS-aware applications to allow those applications to dynamically adapt to the link state changes.

2. The network node of claim 1 , wherein the memory stores an operating system kernel that includes a network stack; wherein the memory further stores applications that include the QoS-aware applications and also a QoS Service Provider for performing the QoS provisioning; and wherein lower layer network stack elements detect the changes in real-time and notify the QoS Service Provider.

3. The network node of claim 2 , wherein the Qos Service Provider interfaces with the operating system kernel via a standard Socket API; and

wherein the QoS Service Provider interfaces with the QoS-aware applications via a QoS-enhanced Socket API.

4. The network node of claim 3 , wherein lower layer network stack elements perform the link state monitoring and updating of a Traffic Control scheduler of the kernel; and wherein information from the monitoring is conveyed to the QoS Service Provider via the QoS-enhanced Socket API;

whereby the QoS-aware applications do not have to track the link states.

5. The network node of claim 4 , wherein filter and policer configurations of the scheduler are updated dynamically as link states change.

6. The network node of claim 1 , wherein at least one service rate of packet travel is adjusted by notifying of a variation in the available bandwidth, and a change in control of the packet rate of travel is affected.

7. The network node of claim 1 , wherein the QoS provisioning adjusts at least one service rate of packet travel by scheduling a plurality of service rates using a queuing discipline.

8. The network node of claim 1 , wherein the QoS provisioning notifies a user-level daemon program of a variation in the available bandwidth.

9. The network node of claim 1 , wherein the QoS provisioning maps a connection to an appropriate QoS provisioning mechanism using at least one of a QSocket function adapted to create an endpoint for communication, a QConnect function adapted to connect to a specific host and port combination, a QChange function adapted to update a QoS information associated with an existing file descriptor, a QClose function adapted to close an associated file descriptor, a QAttach function adapted to associate an existing socket file descriptor with QoS information, a QStateUpdateNotification function adapted to set a callback function, and a QStatus function adapted to retrieve a status information associated with an existing file descriptor.

10. A network comprising a core infrastructure and a plurality of nodes according to claim 1 for communicating wirelessly with the core infrastructure, the nodes at an edge of the core infrastructure.