THE PRESIDENT’S NATIONAL SECURITY TELECOMMUNICATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROGRESS IMPACT TASK FORCE REPORT ON CONVERGENCE MAY 2000 President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-1 1 0 INTRODUCTION 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 2 0 NS EP CONVERGENCE ISSUES 3 2 1 2 2 3 0 Background 1 Purpose 1 Definitions 2 Approach 2 Implications of Convergence on Existing NS EP Services 4 2 1 1 Potential GETS Implications 4 2 1 2 Potential TSP Regulatory Implications 7 Implications of Convergence and the NGN for NS EP Requirements 8 2 2 1 Facilities-based NS EP Requirements 8 2 2 2 Connections-based NS EP Requirements 9 2 2 3 Services-based Functional Requirements 10 SATISFYING EXISTING NS EP FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS IN NEXT GENERATION NETWORKS 11 3 1 3 2 3 3 Potential Protocol Mechanisms for NS EP 11 3 1 1 Signaling Method 11 3 1 2 Packet Labeling Method 14 Government Standards Bodies Participation 16 Summary 17 4 0 CONCLUSIONS 19 5 0 RECOMMENDATIONS 22 5 1 5 2 NSTAC Recommendations to the President 22 NSTAC Recommendation to the IES for Consideration in the NSTAC XXIV Work Plan 22 APPENDIX A TASK FORCE MEMBERS AND OTHER CONTRIBUTORS APPENDIX B ACRONYM LIST ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT i President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background The national security and emergency preparedness NS EP community depends heavily on priority treatment of voice calls within the public switched network PSN to support NS EP operations This priority treatment is provided under the Telecommunications Service Priority TSP program a circuit restoration and provisioning service and the Government Emergency Telecommunications Service GETS program a high probability of call completion service Telecommunications service providers are rapidly implementing packet-based data networks and plan to transition traffic onto the Next Generation Network NGN As a result the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee’s NSTAC Industry Executive Subcommittee IES established the Information Technology Progress Impact Task Force ITPITF to examine the implications of the evolving public network architecture for priority treatment of NS EP voice and data traffic Specifically the IES directed the ITPITF to examine the potential impact of Internet Protocol IP network-PSN convergence on PSN-specific NS EP priority services Purpose This report identifies implications of Convergence as defined in Section 1 3 for existing NS EP priority services and examines evolving network technologies and capabilities that could assist in satisfying existing NS EP functional requirements in an NGN environment Conclusions The ITPITF reached the following conclusions • The NS EP community depends heavily on priority treatment of voice calls within the PSN to support NS EP operations and will remain dependent for the immediate future • The public network will change from separate switched voice and packet data networks to an interconnected network and then to a unified NGN over the next several years • The potential implications of Convergence and the NGN for GETS services include new blocking sources lack of ubiquity and interoperability lack of access to GETS features disparate congestion handling and a lack of commensurate network reliability and security • NS EP requirements are unlikely to be incorporated by industry unless the features needed to meet these requirements are standardized by industry perhaps with prompting from the Government ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT ES-1 President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee ES-2 • NS EP traffic requires newly designed and standardized features to overcome new problems associated with packet networks • To provide GETS-type services during Convergence and in the NGN quality of service QoS schemes must be expanded to provide services commensurate with NS EP needs • The current level of security safeguards incorporated into GETS is inadequate to maintain NS EP functional requirements during Convergence and in the NGN • TSP as originally conceived remains relevant during Convergence because restoration assignments can still be applied to identifiable segments of the PSN • A potential implication for the TSP Program during Convergence and in the NGN as discussed by the TSP Oversight Committee OC is the inapplicability of the program to Internet service providers ISP offering voice services • The OC stated that TSP as currently defined did not and should not have a role in the NGN and if the NS EP community required similar types of priority services for packet networks a new program would have to be established to support such services • TSP-type services in the NGN will provide for the priority provisioning and restoration of network services rather than circuit-based services • Although specific NGN standards have not yet been developed to support NS EP requirements the NGN technology is capable of supporting these requirements • Standards bodies are examining QoS and other new NGN capabilities that may be useful in satisfying certain NS EP functional requirements in the NGN and the appropriate departments and agencies should continue active participation in these groups • QoS and other new NGN capabilities will require some enhancement to best satisfy specific NS EP requirements Therefore the NS EP community should determine as soon as practicable precise functional NS EP requirements for the NGN The appropriate departments and agencies should continue to participate in standards bodies activities related to NGN technologies to ensure that NS EP requirements are considered during development and implementation phases • As the NGN evolves telecommunications carriers’ SS7 networks will become less discrete and more reliant on IP technology and interfaces Therefore it is necessary to consider the security reliability and availability of the NGN control space as it relates to the provision and maintenance of NS EP service capabilities ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee NSTAC Recommendation to the President Recommend that the President in accordance with responsibilities and existing mechanisms established by Executive Order 12472 Assignment of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Telecommunications Functions direct the appropriate departments and agencies in coordination with industry to— • promptly determine precise functional NS EP requirements for Convergence and the NGN and • ensure that relevant NS EP functional requirements are conveyed to standards bodies and service providers during NGN standards development and implementation NSTAC Recommendation to the IES for Consideration in the NSTAC XXIV Work Plan Examine potential NS EP implications related to possible security and reliability vulnerabilities of the control space in the Next Generation Network NGN The NSTAC’s Final Report of the Common Channel Signaling Task Force January 31 1994 should be used as a foundation for this analysis ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT ES-3 President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee 1 0 INTRODUCTION 1 1 Background The national security and emergency preparedness NS EP community depends heavily on priority treatment of voice calls within the Public Switched Network PSN to support NS EP operations Telecommunications service providers are rapidly implementing packet-based data networks and plan to transition traffic onto the Next Generation Network NGN As a result the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee’s NSTAC Industry Executive Subcommittee IES established the Information Technology Progress Impact Task Force ITPITF to examine the implications of the evolving public network architecture for priority treatment of NS EP voice and data traffic Specifically the IES directed the ITPITF to examine the potential impact of Internet Protocol IP network-PSN convergence on PSN-specific NS EP priority services The NSTAC was established in September 1982 to provide advice and expertise to the President and the Executive Agent National Communications System NCS on issues and problems related to implementing NS EP telecommunications policy Because the NCS serves as the focal point for joint industry Government planning the NSTAC and NCS have developed a close partnership The NCS under Executive Order 12472—Assignment of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Telecommunications Functions seeks to ensure the development of a national telecommunications infrastructure responsive to the NS EP needs of the President Federal departments agencies and other entities1 and capable of satisfying priority telecommunications requirements under all circumstances 2 Additionally the NCS is required to develop and test programs and procedures for the Nation’s telecommunications resources including federally and privately owned facilities to meet NS EP telecommunications requirements 3 NSTAC analyses have resulted in the development of many network services to satisfy these needs including the Telecommunications Service Priority TSP Program Government Emergency Telecommunications Service GETS and the High Probability of Completion HPC or call recognition services which enables identification of NS EP calls This report should assist the NS EP community in continuing to meet its objectives and requirements in the future 1 2 Purpose This report identifies the implications of Convergence for existing NS EP priority services and examines evolving network technologies capabilities that could assist in satisfying existing NS EP functional requirements in an NGN environment For the purposes of this report the NGN is defined as outlined in Section 1 3 1 Executive Order 12472 Assignment of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Telecommunications Functions Section 1 c 1 April 3 1984 2 Ibid Section 1 c 2 3 Ibid Section 1 g 1 ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT 1 President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee 1 3 Definitions Convergence indicates a process over a 3-to-5 year period of NGN evolution during which traditional circuit-switched networks including the Advanced Intelligent Network AIN and IP-based data networks will coexist and interoperate to enable end-to-end transmission of voice communications until IP based networks subsume circuit-switched networks The Next Generation Network is a public broadband diverse and scalable packet-based network evolving from the PSN AIN and Internet The NGN is characterized by a core fabric enabling network connectivity and transport with periphery-based service intelligence 1 4 Approach The approach to this study involves two tasks — • examine the implications of convergence for existing NS EP priority treatment services 4 and • examine evolving network technologies capabilities that could assist in satisfying existing NS EP needs and functional requirements in an NGN environment A list of task force members other participants and contributing companies and Government agencies is provided in Appendix A 4 This priority treatment is provided under the TSP program a circuit restoration and provisioning service and the GETS program a high probability of call completion service 2 ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee 2 0 NS EP CONVERGENCE ISSUES A primary concern related to Convergence is the capability to fulfill specific NS EP functional requirements as warranted in the IP network segments Table 1 defines NS EP communications functional requirements as established by Executive Order 124725 a 1991 White House Memorandum on National Level Telecommunications Program Implementation and Functional Requirements 6 and best practices established by the Office of the Manager National Communications System OMNCS Requirements Forum as indicated by “ ” Table 1 NS EP Communications Functional Requirements NS EP Communications Functional Requirements Enhanced Priority Treatment Secure Networks Restorability International Connectivity Interoperability Mobility Nationwide Coverage Survivability Voice Band Service Scaleable Bandwidth Addressability Affordability Description Voice and data services supporting NS EP missions should be provided preferential treatment over other traffic These services ensure the availability and survivability of the network prevent corruption of or unauthorized access to the data and provide for expanded encryption techniques and user authentication Should a service disruption occur voice and data services must be capable of being reprovisioned repaired or restored to required service levels on a priority basis Voice and data services must provide access to and egress from international carriers Voice and data services must interconnect and interoperate with other government or private facilities systems and networks The ability of voice and data infrastructure to support transportable redeployable or fully mobile voice and data communications i e Personal Communications Service PCS cellular satellite High Frequency HF radio Voice and data services must be readily available to support the National security leadership and inter- and intra- agency emergency operations wherever they are located Voice and data services must be robust to support surviving users under a broad range of circumstances from the widespread damage of a natural or manmade disaster up to and including nuclear war The service must provide voice band service in support of presidential communications The ability of NS EP users to manage the capacity of the communications services to support variable bandwidth requirements The ability to easily route voice and data traffic to NS EP users regardless of user location or deployment status Means by which this may be accomplished include follow me or functional numbering call forwarding and functional directories The service must leverage new public network PN capabilities to minimize cost Means by which this may be accomplished favor the use of commercial off-the-shelf COTS technologies and services and existing infrastructure 5 Executive Order 12472 Assignment of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Telecommunications Functions April 3 1984 6 White House Memorandum for the Honorable Dick Cheney Executive Agent NCS Oct 15 1991 ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT 3 President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee Functional requirements such as enhanced priority treatment and national coverage are satisfied in the PSN and AIN by GETS Requirements such as priority treatment infrastructure restoration and survivability are satisfied in the PSN by TSP 2 1 Implications of Convergence on Existing NS EP Services7 The potential implications for GETS and TSP services relating to Convergence are discussed below GETS and TSP have been associated with voice services and the PSN however the NGN will offer voice data and video services Therefore GETS and TSP services provide only a foundation for analysis of NS EP services in the context of convergence to the NGN Other services such as wireless priority access dedicated services and virtual networks while beyond the scope of this report also support various NS EP functional requirements in existing networks Therefore separate analysis on the potential implications for these services relating to Convergence may be warranted 2 1 1 Potential GETS Implications Developed in response to a White House tasking GETS provides emergency access and specialized processing in local and long distance telephone networks A GETS call is identified as an NS EP call and receives special call setup handling such as enhanced routing and priority treatment GETS relies on the AIN of the PSN to support identification of NS EP calls and priority signaling However it is uncertain whether evolving IP-based protocols will support all features of the Signaling System 7 SS7 protocol such as HPC Subsequently the following sections outline potential implications for GETS in an IP environment if the Government and industry fail to define and implement standards that support a GETS type of service 2 1 1 1 New Blocking Sources GETS features were designed specifically to overcome operational constraints on circuit switched networks Examples of such features include exemption from network management controls and trunk queuing These features may not be germane in packet networks NS EP traffic will require newly designed and standardized features to overcome the new constraints associated with packet networks such as lengthy or variable delays or packet loss Furthermore in packet networks NS EP priority treatment will be required throughout the call rather than only during call setup e g each packet must be identified for NS EP treatment through the network Without such treatment NS EP packets could be discarded 2 1 1 2 Lack of Ubiquity and Interoperability Voice over IP equipment is being developed by most traditional switch vendors e g Nortel Networks and Lucent Technologies including many new companies that have not been involved 7 For additional technical information on network convergence please refer to Telcordia Technologies Network Evolution and Convergence Report June 1999 as prepared for the OMNCS 4 ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee with GETS previously These companies are unlikely to incorporate NS EP requirements unless the needed features are standardized by industry perhaps with prompting from the Government 8 Without standardization many problems could arise NS EP calls may not be able to achieve priority access and transport control e g access authorization routing information Problems could exist when calls enter a packet network through a gateway from inside an interexchange carrier IXC network inside the local exchange carrier LEC network or at the customer premises 9 If an NS EP call is passed directly to a packet network by customer premise equipment CPE the call may not be routed to an IXC or to a point in an IXC from which it can reach GETS access authorization 10 Thus standards will need to be written and implemented to enable NS EP call recognition within a packet network and subsequent routing of the call to a GETS IXC 2 1 1 3 Lack of Access to GETS Features Many GETS features are triggered on the basis of an NS EP codepoint11 associated with the SS7based HPC capability It is uncertain whether this codepoint will be transported as part of the signaling associated with call setup in a packet network unless standards are written and implemented because the nature of packet-based transport of signaling information has yet to be defined 12 Consequently if the calls are transported through a packet network without standards NS EP calls may not be able to access GETS features particularly on the terminating network 2 1 1 4 Disparate Congestion Handling Existing packet switched services react differently to traffic overload than existing circuit switched services Packet switches allocate bandwidth to packets based on available and or required bandwidth circuit switches deny bandwidth to new phone calls until previous calls disconnect The standards-based NGN will implement a Quality of Service QoS feature to allocate bandwidth appropriately between voice data and video and between low- and highpriority traffic With reduced bit rate voice calls call completion rates for NS EP traffic may be higher over the NGN The NS EP community likely will have useful reliable services analogous to toll quality GETS services to support their needs including real-time interactive sessions and noninteractive sessions The QoS schemes being discussed by standards bodies and industry allow specific minimum percentages of bandwidth to be reserved for real-time interactive and non-interactive services In addition routing control mechanisms need to be maintained for the duration of NS EP 8 Ibid Graves John GETS Briefing to the Network Group August 5 1999 10 GETS PMO Voice Over Packet Issue Paper May 21 1999 p 3-3 11 SS7 Network Capability ANSI T1 631-1993 that provides for the identification of NS EP calls Specifically an 8-bit NS EP call identifier 11100010 contained in a calling party’s category field of the initial address message NS EP calls are assigned signaling priority level 1 12 GETS PMO Voice Over Packet Issue Paper May 21 1999 p 3-3 9 ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT 5 President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee communications to ensure integrity To provide GETS services during Convergence and in the NGN existing QoS and routing schemes must be expanded to provide services commensurate with NS EP requirements Therefore GETS calls could be affected if the Government and industry fail to define and implement standards for GETS service within the packet network environment 13 2 1 1 5 Network Reliability and Security Implications The expanded inter-working of the control space of the PSN and Internet technologies during Convergence and the revolutionary open switch architecture of the NGN will likely be areas of network reliability availability and security concern to NS EP users and affect services and functional requirements One concern is whether a PSN-Internet architecture can handle the intense inter-domain extra-band signaling traffic a combination of out-of-band signaling like SS7 and in-band signaling of the Internet among its databases call agents routers switches and gateways which could involve millions of call-processing messages a minute 14 Another critical issue is security which presents a unique problem because the Internet with its virtually unrestricted access is not as protected as the PSN 15 This could pose unique problems for GETS-type services during Convergence and in the NGN Currently controls against misuse of GETS involve access authorization control audit accounting and fraud control The planned predecessor to GETS was designed with strong authentication features involving a token-based authenticator to combine something a person has with something a person knows e g a password However for several reasons including cost flexibility and believed limited risk GETS today relies solely on something a person knows for authentication Although controls to detect fraud and unauthorized access exist there are presently no other security requirements in place to protect GETS from denial of service attacks or other compromise In addition due to Convergence the security risks of the Internet and the PSN and the integrity of the SS7 control space the AIN that supports GETS may be at risk without additional safeguards and requirements Although security baseline standards exist for SS7 interconnection 16 they are not specified within GETS functional requirements service level agreements or current operations At a minimum the functionality contained with the SS7 security baseline should be mapped into GETS during Convergence Additionally if current security safeguards are employed in the NGN they will likely be even more inadequate based on existing Internet security risks e g denial of service attacks Therefore as the NGN evolves and as carriers’ SS7 networks become less discrete and more reliant on IP technology and interfaces it will be necessary to consider the security reliability and availability of the NGN control space as it relates to provision and maintenance of NS EP service capabilities Given 13 GETS PMO Voice Over Packet Issue Paper May 21 1999 p 3-3 Telcordia Technologies Network Evolution and Convergence June 1999 p ES-3 15 Ibid 16 ATIS NIIF Reference Document Part III Installation and Maintenance Responsibilities SS7 Link and Trunk Installation and Maintenance Access Service Attachment I Network Security Base Guideline 14 6 ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee NSTAC’s responsibility for advising the President on NS EP telecommunications issues this study would be consistent with NSTAC’s established mission 2 1 2 Potential TSP Regulatory Implications Based on an NSTAC recommendation the Federal Communications Commission FCC issued a Report and Order in 1988 establishing the TSP Program The TSP Program is the regulatory administrative and operational framework for the priority provisioning and restoration of any qualified NS EP telecommunications service In July 1999 a TSP Oversight Committee OC working group convened to discuss the continued relevance of TSP in the emerging public network and to discuss the role of TSP in relation to packet-based networks The results of the discussion offer insight into the potential implications of convergence for TSP The working group noted that TSP was conceived to apply to common carriers and specifically to circuits More recently TSP has been extended to protect important control space facilities and trunk infrastructure between access points Furthermore the group stated “traditional circuit-based technology will remain an integral part of carrier networks for the foreseeable future due to the extensive financial investments that carriers have in the traditional technology and the nascent and relatively unreliable character of packet networks for voice communications ”17 Therefore the group argued that TSP as originally conceived remains relevant in a converged network because restoration assignments can still be applied to identifiable segments of the PSN These segments specifically include the access portions of carriers’ networks and private lines TSP restoration assignments enable carriers to provide priority restoration of the access portion of critical NS EP circuits during emergencies when there may be contention for service with other entities Additionally because of the recognized top priority of TSP restoration should a disaster occur carriers and enhanced service providers e g Illuminet use TSP to augment the dependability of their facilities In essence TSP serves to assure physical network facilities However many industry experts believe that due to the increasingly competitive nature of the telecommunications field the implementation and expansion of packet-based networks by new and existing carriers will take place at an accelerated rate during the next several years This will result in substantially greater network bandwidth and rich interconnectivity greatly reducing the likelihood of network outages caused by facility failures In addition multiple access technologies local loop cable wireless fiber satellite and multiple competitive local exchange carriers CLEC will offer the NS EP user diverse routing sufficient to overcome many access failures Working group members asserted that TSP did not and should not have a role in this packet network realm The working group noted that Internet service providers ISP that offer voice services are not classified as common carriers Therefore because the FCC TSP Report 17 TSP Oversight Committee Packet Network Working Group meeting summary July 26 1999 ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT 7 President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee and Order applies only to common carriers and ISPs are not now defined as such they are not obligated to offer TSP services Also as previously noted the TSP Report and Order states that the program is applicable only to public switched network services Consequently the working group concluded that if the NS EP community required similar types of priority services for packet networks a new program would have to be established to support such services 2 2 Implications of Convergence and the NGN for NS EP Requirements Satisfying NS EP functional requirements during Convergence and in the NGN is an important consideration Functional requirements such as priority treatment nationwide coverage and interoperability may necessitate the translation of NS EP services and requirements across disparate networks during Convergence Additionally requirements such as enhanced priority treatment infrastructure restoration survivability and scalable bandwidth may require the extension or development of specific NS EP services for the NGN and the expansion of existing security mechanisms Therefore the Government in coordination with industry should determine as soon as practicable the precise functional NS EP requirements of the NS EP community during Convergence and in the NGN A diligent process for determining these needs is required because of the quickness in which packet-based network standards are being developed and implemented Otherwise erosion of compliance with NS EP functional requirements and readiness will occur Executive Order 12472 assigns responsibility for the execution of NS EP telecommunications functions to the NCS the Executive Office and other Departments and Agencies Among these responsibilities Executive Order 12472 directs the NCS to seek to ensure that a national telecommunications infrastructure is developed that “is capable of satisfying priority telecommunications requirements under all circumstances ” Therefore the OMNCS would be the appropriate body to coordinate NS EP requirements activities Some guidelines to consider in defining requirements during Convergence and in the NGN are discussed in the following sections Possible solutions for satisfying potential NS EP functional requirements in the NGN are discussed in Section 3 2 2 1 Facilities-based NS EP Requirements Although TSP will continue to be relevant for the immediate future the rapid deployment of IP network technology and diverse access technologies by new and existing carriers precipitates the need to examine NS EP community priority restoration and provisioning needs during Convergence and in the NGN It is possible that in times of emergency the NS EP community might require priority restoration and provisioning of the access portion of packet networks such as copper loops cable fiber satellite routers or other packet network infrastructure It is also possible that some NS EP users may be able to reduce the need for priority restoration with diverse access However to fulfill any facilities-based NS EP service requirements during Convergence and in the NGN regulatory questions may need to be addressed The FCC TSP Report and Order requires all common carriers to offer TSP services However because ISPs are not now 8 ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee considered common carriers they could offer QoS features by contract to their subscribers whereby they establish guidelines for enhanced restoration and provisioning treatment of facilities These sorts of guidelines could conflict with those established for the TSP program Therefore the NS EP community must define in a timely manner the need for facilities-based priority services during Convergence and for the NGN and propose the most appropriate and realistic method of satisfying those needs The Government should examine these issues promptly and thoroughly 2 2 2 Connections-based NS EP Requirements Because GETS continues to be relevant in circuit switched networks the Government should continue to examine the implications of Convergence for GETS features For instance it is conceivable that in times of severe natural man-made disasters or coordinated attacks even the broadband packet-based NGN could experience congestion or outages requiring that qualified GETS users be identified Consequently the Government should investigate the connectionsbased priority services needs of the NS EP community during Convergence and for the NGN and analyze the appropriate methods of satisfying those needs Relevant information should be conveyed to the appropriate standards bodies for consideration as warranted The Government has submitted a draft document to the Internet Engineering Task Force IETF and European Telecommunications Standards Institute ETSI Telecommunications and Internet Protocol Harmonization Over Networks TIPHON that defines functional requirements for fulfilling the International Emergency Preference Scheme IEPS in the newly emerging telecommunications infrastructure The IEPS is an International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector ITU-T Recommendation that will enable authorized users to have priority availability of telecommunications services and processing of communications for supporting recovery operations during crisis situations 18 The Government states the features needed to support IEPS emergency communications in IP-based networks which would encompass domestic NS EP communications include priority access routing processing and egress on an end-to-end basis and for the duration of the communication 19 Specifically the Government states that IEPS issues to be considered during the phases of transition from circuit switched networks to IP-based networks include — • The protocol mechanisms of IP-based networks in operation and under development that could convey an HPC-type IEPS indicator to identify an emergency communication This would enable priority routing and processing ahead of other traffic being carried • A field in the header of any candidate protocol to convey an emergency communication indication needs to be identified and space reserved for a codepoint 18 National Communications System Functional Requirements for Priority Services to Support Critical Communications Temporary Document 17TD presented to TIPHON 17 19 Ibid ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT 9 President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee • Appropriate codepoint s which will be used to convey the IEPS indicator through the IP-based environment will need to be registered • Procedures and processes will need to be defined for handling the IEPS indicator in the IP-based environment This includes priority routing of packets and relying on alternate routing capabilities when congestion is encountered 20 Furthermore as IP-based capabilities evolve additional IEPS service issues should be considered including maintenance of the priority status of a communication for its duration after setup alternate routing of IEPS communications when congestion and failure occur and definition of multiple levels of emergency priority 21 The Government should remain actively involved in the IEPS processes in the various standards bodies and industry forums 2 2 3 Services-based Functional Requirements The widespread deployment of IP functionality could enable a wide range of essential NS EP broadband service-based features e g Web-based features video on demand Therefore priority provisioning and restoration of packet network services for the NS EP community may become a functional requirement in the NGN As packet-based networks become prevalent the need for service-based priority services e g preferential treatment for establishment and restoration of E-mail Web access file transfer and broadcast and multicast services for voice data and video for the NS EP community will be an important question 20 National Communications System Functional Requirements for Priority Services to Support Critical Communications Temporary Document 17TD presented to TIPHON 17 21 Ibid 10 ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee 3 0 SATISFYING EXISTING NS EP FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS IN NEXT GENERATION NETWORKS 3 1 Potential Protocol Mechanisms for NS EP Since bandwidth is finite in any given network including the NGN periods will exist when the traffic exceeds the capacity of the network thereby creating congestion e g many-to-one data flows interface speed mismatches and overload conditions 22 Consequently protocol mechanisms will be needed to ensure an adequate level of service is provided to each packet flow during periods of congestion 23 Specific protocol mechanisms strive to provide priority to delay sensitive and mission-critical applications while sharing the remaining bandwidth among the other applications 24 Therefore these mechanisms could be used to satisfy NS EP priority treatment functional requirements in the NGN The following sections outline the two prevalent protocol methods and specify how they could assist the NS EP community 3 1 1 Signaling Method Under the signaling method an application communicates the characteristics of the traffic it intends to send and the quality of service QoS e g bandwidth and delay it requires from the network to each network element via an explicit signaling protocol 25 In essence the required resources are reserved from the source to the destination to ensure the data traverses the network Standards based on the signaling method could support NS EP priority bandwidth management requirements for communications in packet networks 3 1 1 1 Reservation Protocol The Reservation Protocol RSVP model sanctioned by the IETF uses the signaling method RSVP signals routers to reserve bandwidth to enable a real-time transmission e g voice or video Figure 1 illustrates how RSVP works 22 Rau Michael Senior Engineering Manager Cisco Systems Federal QoS Technologies and Call Admission Control briefing to the ITPITF on Dec 2 1999 23 Ibid 24 Ibid 25 Ibid ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT 11 President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee Figure 1 RSVP Illustration The RSVP model could enable priority treatment of and scalable bandwidth for NS EP traffic provided that some sort of policy control including access control and user authentication is available The IETF has set up a working group within its RSVP committee to address such policy issues 26 The Government should participate in IETF discussions regarding implementation of RSVP to examine the feasibility of its use for NS EP traffic 3 1 1 2 H 323 Another variation of the signaling method is the H 323 standard being developed by the ITU H 323 is a standard that specifies the components protocols and procedures that provide multimedia communication services—real-time audio video and data communications—over packet networks including IP-based networks 27 H 323 networks use gateways that enable connectivity between an H 323 network and a non-H 323 network such as the PSN This connectivity of dissimilar networks is achieved by translating protocols for call setup and release converting media formats between different networks and transferring information between the networks connected by the gateway 28 Additionally H 323 networks can use gatekeepers devices that provide important services such as addressing authorization and authentication of terminals and gateways bandwidth management accounting billing and call-routing services 29 26 Resource Reservation Protocol http www micom com WhitePapers rsvp wprsvpte htm Internet Engineering Consortium H 323 Tutorial http www webproforum com h323 index html 28 Ibid 29 Internet Engineering Consortium Ibid 27 12 ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee An H 323 session takes place as illustrated in Figure 2 Figure 2 An H 323 Session Router Router Gatekeeper H 323 Terminal H 323 Terminal The steps of an H 323 session are as follows 1 Source application wanting to set up H 323 session uses Q 931 signaling to set up a call to destination 2 Call setup includes information about the amount of bandwidth needed to establish call 3 Gatekeeper tracks available bandwidth between terminal endpoints and determins whether the call will be admitted 4 Once the call is admitted the H 323 session can be established 5 Gatekeeper tracks the session and once the session is terminated releases the bandwidth within the H 323 zone for use by other H 323 sessions 30 H 323 could be used to support real-time NS EP communications through packet networks Therefore the Government should continue participation in ITU activities related to H 323 and other evolving signaling standards 3 1 1 3 Session Initiation Protocol Another signaling protocol Session Initiation Protocol SIP has garnered much attention of late in the standards community Developed by the IETF SIP is a service layer protocol similar to Hypertext Transfer Protocol HTTP but it is suitable for both transaction- and connectionoriented services 31 One of SIP’s major virtues is that it provides an inherent service creation 30 Rau Michael Senior Engineering Manager Cisco Systems Federal QoS Technologies and Call Admission Control briefing to the ITPITF on Dec 2 1999 31 Kozig Jack Standards in the New Millennium America’s Network February 1 2000 http www americasnetwork com issues 2000issues 20000201 20000201_standards htm ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT 13 President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee capability enabling users to customize their own service behaviors 32 In a SIP-based telephony architecture custom local area signaling service CLASS features such as call blocking call forwarding and caller-ID can be implemented using a SIP proxy server or in a client device such as an IP telephone 33 SIP enables quicker implementation of new voice services than do SS7-based networks 34 Such efficiency could benefit the NS EP community as it develops services for mission-critical NS EP operations The Government should continue its active involvement with IETF and contribute NS EPrelevant recommendations concerning the development of SIP and other evolving standards Such standards will be essential in satisfying NS EP requirements during Convergence and in the NGN 3 1 2 Packet Labeling Method Under the packet labeling method packets are assigned a service class label at the edge of the network and subsequent network elements identify the service class label and treat the traffic accordingly 35 A small bit pattern in each packet is used to mark a packet to receive a particular forwarding treatment or per-hop behavior PHB at each network node 36 Based on network policies different kinds of traffic can be marked for different kinds of forwarding Resources can then be allocated according to the marking and the policies 37 In essence packet labeling facilitates the classification or differentiation of IP network services enabling the establishment of a differentiated services network architecture In a differentiated services architecture — • The IP header includes a differentiated services codepoint DSCP indicating the level of service desired • The DSCP maps the packet to a PHB for processing by a DS-compliant router • The PHB provides a particular service level bandwidth queuing and dropping decisions in accordance with network policy 38 Figures 3 and 4 depict IPv4 and IPv6 packets in the IETF Differentiated Services DiffServ model with the DSCP in the headers 32 Ibid Bezaitis Andrew and Alkhlaq Sidhu Eat or Be Eaten America’s Network November 1 1999 http www americasnetwork com issues 99issues 991101 991101_eat htm 34 Ibid 35 Ibid 36 http www nren nasa gov eng freeman qos tsld030 htm 37 http kids intel com network white_papers diff_serv diffserv htm 38 Ibid 33 14 ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee Figure 3 IETF DiffServ IPv4 Packet IP V4 Packet - IETF DiffServ 4 4 Hdr Vers Len 8 16 DS Total Length 6 16 3 8 8 16 Header Flags Offset TTL Prot Chksum ID 2 DSCP 13 32 Source Address 32 Destination Address bits Data bits Unused Source Cisco Systems Figure 4 IETF DiffServ IPv6 Packet IP V6 Packet - IETF DiffServ 4 Vers 8 20 16 DS Flow Label Payload Length 6 DSCP 2 8 8 Next Hop Header Limit 128 Source Address 128 Destination Address bits Data bits Unused Source Cisco Systems Implementation of a differentiated services model in the NGN could facilitate the preferential treatment of mission-critical NS EP traffic For example mission-critical NS EP packets could be encoded with a DSCP that indicated a high-bandwidth 0-frame-loss routing path Conversely non-mission-critical E-mail and Web browsing data could be coded with a DSCP indicating routine traffic handling with minimal packet drops The DS-compliant boundary router would then make route selections and forward the packets accordingly as defined by network policy and the PHBs the network supports 39 Therefore the highest-class traffic would get preferential treatment in queuing and bandwidth while the lower class packets would be relegated to potentially slower service 40 The IETF DiffServ working group is currently examining specific issues related to differentiated services It is important that the Government remain actively involved in IETF proceedings to ensure consideration of NS EP services 39 40 Ibid Ibid ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT 15 President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee 3 1 2 1 Multiprotocol Label Switching A variation of the packet-labeling method is Multiprotocol Label Switching MPLS MPLS is an IETF initiative that integrates Layer 2 information about network links bandwidth latency utilization into Layer 3 IP within a particular network or ISP to simplify and improve IP packet exchange 41 Specifically MPLS is a routing and switching mechanism and protocol that allows packets within a connectionless network to be switched based on a label that has been appended to the packet 42 The labels containing forwarding information i e destination bandwidth delay and differentiation are attached to the IP packets at the edge of the network by a label edge router LER This enables the routers in the core of the network known as label switch routers LSR to examine the label more quickly than if they had to look up destination addresses in a routing table 43 Therefore MPLS enables router and switches to operate at higher speeds without eliminating address resolution within the network 44 MPLS could be useful to the NS EP community because it can be used to create virtual paths that have specific quality and security requirements which may be available to only specific users The Government should remain actively involved in IETF discussions regarding MPLS 3 2 Government Standards Bodies Participation The Government has developed relationships with many relevant standards bodies including the ITU Currently the OMNCS is actively involved in many ITU study groups including Study Group 2 Network and Service Operation Study Group 4 Telecommunications Management Network Studies and Network Maintenance Study Group 11 Signaling Requirements and Protocols and Study Group 13 General Network Aspects and Study Group 16 Multimedia Services and Systems Study Group 4 is examining a framework for unified management of integrated circuit switched and packet-based networks with an initial focus on IP-based networks 45 Additionally Study Group 13 has developed an ITU-T IP Project which is intended to encompass all ITU-T IP-related work Area 10 of the ITU-T IP Project is focusing on security Additionally OMNCS is actively participating in the TIPHON group of the ETSI The objective of ETSI’s TIPHON project is to support the market for voice communication and related voiceband communication such as facsimile between users The project’s goal is to ensure that users connected to IP-based networks can communicate with users in circuit switched networks and vice versa TIPHON’s products will also ensure communications between circuit switched networks where IP-based networks are used for connection and trunking between the circuit 41 PC Webopedia http webopedia internet com TERM M MPLS html Nortel Networks briefing to the GTI ITPI February 25 2000 43 TechWeb Encyclopedia http www techweb com encyclopedia defineterm term MPLS 44 Nortel Networks briefing to the GTI ITPI February 25 2000 45 ITU Study Group 4 Web Site http www itu int ITU-T com4 questions html 42 16 ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee switched networks involved 46 See Section 2 2 2 Connections-based NS EP Requirements for information on Government participation in ETSI TIPHON and IETF IEPS deliberations The OMNCS is also actively participating in the IETF the standards body that sets the IP standards most relevant to the NS EP requirements Working areas include MPLS Diffserv RSVP SIP and Policy Framework In addition as reported in the NSTAC Embedded Interoperable Security EIS Scoping Group Issue Resolution the Defense Information Systems Agency is working with the IETF IP Security Protocol Working Group IPSEC on the development and interoperability of an end-to-end security model based on Public Key Infrastructure PKI technology to provide authentication and encryption for mission-critical Internet applications The OMNCS continues to work in concert with standards organizations to identify evaluate and influence those standards that can enhance the communications capabilities of NS EP users 3 3 Summary Service providers e g ISPs are currently implementing QoS and priority routing-related technologies on individual networks As the NGN evolves end-to-end QoS and priority routing capabilities will be implemented because they are essential for the transport of voice traffic These same capabilities will require some modification to best satisfy specific NS EP requirements at the local State and Federal levels Therefore the NS EP community should as practicable promptly define specific functional requirements for the NGN Subsequently as specific needs are recognized specific technologies could be identified and if necessary modified to satisfy those needs Additionally the Government should continue participation in standards bodies activities related to QoS and priority routing technologies to ensure that NS EP requirements are considered during development and implementation phases Executive Order 12472 assigns responsibility for the execution of NS EP telecommunications functions to the NCS the Executive Office and other Departments and Agencies Among these responsibilities Executive Order 12472 provides the NCS with the authority to seek to ensure that a national telecommunications infrastructure is developed that “is capable of satisfying priority telecommunications requirements under all circumstances ” Therefore the OMNCS would be the appropriate body to communicate NS EP requirements to standards bodies and participate in NGN-related standards activities Another important consideration is that the intelligence of IP networks is periphery-based and the intelligence of the PSN is centralized The periphery-based architecture might present additional points of network vulnerability Therefore as the NGN evolves the NS EP community must consider potential network control space security implications for NS EP services and operations Although beyond the scope of this report this issue warrants further 46 GETS Program Management Office Voice Over Packet Issue Paper May 21 1999 ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT 17 President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee analysis Given NSTAC’s responsibility for advising the President on NS EP telecommunications issues this study would be consistent with NSTAC’s established mission 18 ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee 4 0 CONCLUSIONS The NS EP community depends heavily on priority treatment of voice calls within the PSN to support NS EP operations and will remain dependent on the PSN for the immediate future However telecommunications service providers are rapidly implementing packet-based data networks and plan to transition traffic onto the NGN Therefore NS EP functional requirements may be affected during Convergence and in the NGN As discussed in Section 2 1 GETS and TSP services provide only a foundation for analysis of NS EP services in the context of convergence to the NGN Other services such as wireless priority access dedicated services and virtual networks while beyond the scope of this report also support various NS EP functional requirements in existing networks NS EP functional requirements such as enhanced priority treatment and national coverage are satisfied in the PSN by GETS The potential implications for GETS services relating to Convergence and the NGN include— • New Blocking Sources Newly designed features to support priority NS EP traffic must be implemented As yet there is no guarantee that NS EP traffic could be given priority over other traffic in a packet network Therefore NS EP traffic requires newly designed and standardized features to overcome new problems associated with packet networks e g the need for a priority mark for NS EP traffic to facilitate priority treatment for the duration of the call Without this NS EP packets could be discarded • Lack of Ubiquity and Interoperability In packet networks NS EP calls may not be able to achieve priority access and transport control e g access authorization routing information NS EP requirements are unlikely to be incorporated by industry unless the needed features are standardized by industry perhaps with prompting from the Government • Lack of Access to GETS Features NS EP calls may not be able to access NS EP features particularly on the terminating network if the calls are transported through a packet network because the nature of signaling associated with call set-up in a packet network has yet to be defined • Disparate Congestion Handling Evolving QoS and routing schemes allow specific minimum percentages of bandwidth to be reserved for real-time interactive and noninteractive services in packet networks However to provide GETS-type services during Convergence and in the NGN these schemes must be expanded to provide services commensurate with NS EP needs • Network Reliability and Security Implications The expanded inter-working of the control space of the PSN and Internet technologies during Convergence and the revolutionary open switch architecture of the NGN will likely be areas of network ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT 19 President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee reliability and security concern to NS EP users and affect services and functional requirements The current level of security safeguards incorporated into GETS e g PINs are inadequate to protect its NS EP functional requirements during Convergence and in the NGN Additionally if current safeguards are employed in the NGN they will be all the more inadequate based on current Internet security risks e g denial of service attacks The TSP Program satisfies NS EP functional requirements such as priority treatment for the establishment and restoration of infrastructure in the PSN The TSP Oversight Committee OC discussed the potential implications for TSP during Convergence and in the NGN The OC stated that traditional circuit-based technology would remain an integral part of carrier networks for the foreseeable future due to the extensive financial investments that carriers have in the traditional technology Therefore the OC argued that TSP as originally conceived remains relevant during Convergence because restoration assignments can still be applied to identifiable segments of the PSN However OC members asserted that TSP did not and should not have a role in the NGN They noted that ISPs offering voice services are not classified as common carriers and are therefore not obligated to offer TSP services Consequently the OC concluded that if the NS EP community required similar types of priority services for packet networks a new program would have to be established to support such services Additionally the ITPITF asserts TSP-type services in the NGN will provide for the priority provisioning and restoration of network services rather than circuit-based services Although specific NGN standards have not yet been developed to support NS EP requirements the NGN technology is capable of supporting these requirements Furthermore standards bodies are currently examining protocol mechanisms that may satisfy certain NS EP functional requirements in the NGN Two prevalent protocol methods are the signaling method and the packet labeling method These methods could enable priority treatment of and scalable bandwidth for NS EP traffic provided that some sort of policy control including access control and user authentication is available Service providers are currently implementing these protocol mechanisms on individual networks As the NGN evolves end-to-end QoS and priority routing capabilities will be implemented because they are essential for the transport of voice traffic These same capabilities will require some modification to best satisfy specific NS EP requirements at the local State and Federal levels Therefore the NS EP community should as practicable promptly define specific functional requirements for the NGN Subsequently as specific needs are recognized particular technologies could be identified and if necessary modified to satisfy those needs Additionally the appropriate departments and agencies should continue participation in standards bodies’ activities related to QoS and priority routing technologies to ensure that NS EP requirements are considered during development and implementation phases An important consideration is that the intelligence of IP networks is periphery-based and the intelligence of the PSN is centralized The periphery-based architecture might introduce 20 ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee additional points of network vulnerability Therefore it is necessary to consider the security reliability and availability of the NGN control space as it relates to the provision and maintenance of NS EP services capabilities ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT 21 President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee 5 0 RECOMMENDATIONS The following recommendations are proposed to enhance understanding and awareness of NS EP requirements related to Convergence and the NGN among the NS EP community and appropriate standards bodies 5 1 NSTAC Recommendation to the President Recommend that the President in accordance with responsibilities and existing mechanisms established by Executive Order 12472 Assignment of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Telecommunications Functions direct the appropriate departments and agencies in coordination with industry to — 5 2 • promptly determine precise functional NS EP requirements for Convergence and the NGN and • ensure that relevant NS EP functional requirements are conveyed to standards bodies and service providers during NGN standards development and implementation NSTAC Recommendation to the IES for Consideration in the NSTAC XXIV Work Plan Examine potential NS EP implications related to possible security and reliability vulnerabilities of the control space in the NGN The NSTAC’s Final Report of the Common Channel Signaling Task Force January 31 1994 should be used as a foundation for this analysis 22 ITPI TASK FORCE REPORT President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee APPENDIX A TASK FORCE MEMBERS AND OTHER CONTRIBUTORS ITPI TASK FORCE MEMBERS APPENDIX A President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee TASK FORCE MEMBERS Nortel Networks Cisco Systems Dr Jack Edwards Chair Mr Jim Massa Vice-Chair AT T Boeing COMSAT CSC GTE ITT Lockheed Martin Raytheon SAIC USTA Mr Paul Waldner Mr Bob Steele Dr Jack Oslund Mr Guy Copeland Mr James Bean Mr Joe Gancie Dr Chris Feudo Mr John Grimes Mr Hank Kluepfel Mr Vern Junkmann OTHER PARTICIPANTS Cisco Systems OMNCS Mr Robert Gooch Mr Harold Folts COMPANY AGENCY CONTRIBUTORS Cisco Systems Federal Deloitte and Touche LLP MCI WorldCom Nortel Networks OMNCS Telcordia Technologies ITPI TASK FORCE MEMBERS A-1 President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee APPENDIX B ACRONYM LIST ACRONYM LIST APPENDIX B President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee ACRONYM LIST AIN Advanced Intelligent Network CLASS CLEC COTS CPE Custom Local Area Signaling Service Competitive Local Exchange Carriers Commercial Off-the-Shelf Customer Premise Equipment DSCP Differentiated Services Codepoint ETSI European Telecommunications Standards Institute FCC Federal Communications Commission GETS Government Emergency Telecommunications Service HF HPC HTTP High Frequency High Probability of Completion Hypertext Transfer Protocol IEPS IES IETF IP IPSec ISP ITPITF ITU-T IXC International Emergency Preference Scheme Industry Executive Subcommittee Internet Engineering Task Force Internet Protocol Internet Protocol Security Internet Service Providers Information Technology Progress Impact Task Force International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunications Interexchange Carrier LEC LER LSR Local Exchange Carrier Label Edge Router Label Switch Routers MPLS Multiprotocol Label Switching NCS NGN NS EP NSTAC OC OMNCS National Communications System Next Generation Network National Security and Emergency Preparedness National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee Oversight Committee Office of the Manager National Communications System ACRONYM LIST B-1 President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee PCS PHB PIN PKI PN PSN Personal Communications Service Per-Hop Behavior Personal Identification Number Public Key Infrastructure Public Network Public Switched Network QoS Quality of Service RSVP Reservation Protocol SIP SS7 Session Initiation Protocol Signaling System 7 TIPHON TSP Telecommunications and Internet Protocol Harmonization Over Networks Telecommunications Service Priority B-2 ACRONYM LIST