Workload models of VBR video traffic and their use in resource allocation policies

The load generated by new types of communications services related to multimedia and video transmission is becoming one of the major sources of traffic in WAN networks. Modeling this type of load is a prerequisite for any performance study. We approach the load-characterization problem from a global point of view by analyzing a set of 20 video streams. We developed resource-, subject-, and scene-oriented characterizations of coded video streams. We have also implemented multidimensional data-analysis techniques and applied a "scene working set" approach, as well as static and dynamic video traffic models. We show that the behavior of a video sequence can be predicted with high accuracy by applying the scene working set technique. Applications of this technique for predicting bandwidth demands and allocating buffers in an ATM switch are also described in this study.