# Judicious QoS using Cloud Overlays

## TL;DR

This paper introduces J-QoS, a framework that combines cheap best-effort internet with reliable cloud overlays to provide customizable network QoS through forwarding, caching, and coding services, demonstrated via real-world measurements.

## Contribution

The paper presents a novel J-QoS framework that integrates cloud overlays with traditional internet to offer flexible, cost-effective QoS options with multiple reliability services.

## Key findings

- Feasibility demonstrated with RIPE Atlas measurements
- Live deployment on PlanetLab validates the approach
- Effective case studies with Skype, web transfers, and cellular networks

## Abstract

We revisit the long-standing problem of providing network QoS to applications, and propose the concept of judicious QoS -- combining the cheaper, best effort IP service with the cloud, which offers a highly reliable infrastructure and the ability to add in-network services, albeit at higher cost. Our proposed J-QoS framework offers a range of reliability services with different cost vs. delay trade-offs, including: i) a forwarding service that forwards packets over the cloud overlay, ii) a caching service, which stores packets inside the cloud and allows them to be pulled in case of packet loss or disruption on the Internet, and iii) a novel coding service that provides the least expensive packet recovery option by combining packets of multiple application streams and sending a small number of coded packets across the more expensive cloud paths. We demonstrate the feasibility of these services using measurements from RIPE Atlas and a live deployment on PlanetLab. We also consider case studies on how J-QoS works with services up and down the network stack, including Skype video conferencing, TCP-based web transfers, and cellular access networks.