AA for business services can be deployed at the Layer 2 or Layer 3 network provider edge (PE) policy enforcement point for the service or at Layer 2 aggregation policy enforcement point complimentary to the existing Layer 3 IP VPN PE. In a business environment, an AA subscriber represents a VPN access point. A typical business service can have a much larger average bandwidth rate then the residential service and is likely to have a smaller AA subscriber count than a residential deployment.
Multiple ISA2s can be deployed per PE, each incrementally processing up to 40 Gb/s. The in-network scalability is a key capability that allows a carrier to be able to grow the service bandwidth without AA throughput affecting the network architecture (more edge nodes, application-aware devices).
Application-aware Layer 2 and Layer 3 VPNs implemented using AA ISA equipped 7750 SR and 7450 ESS together with rich network management (NSP NFM-P, 5750 RAM, end customer application service portals) give operators a highly scalable, flexible, and cost effective integrated solution for application-based services to end customers. These services may include the following:
rich application reporting with VPN, access site visibility
right-sizing access pipes into a VPN service to improve/ensure application performance
application-level QoS (policing, session admission, remarking, and so on) to ensure application-level performance, end-customer QoE objectives are met.
value-added services such as application verification, new application detection, application mirroring
performance reporting for real time (RTP) and non-real time (TCP) based applications
Dual Stack IPv4 – IPv6 support
GTP, 6RD tunneling support
control unauthorized or recreational applications by site, by time of day.
Figure: AA BVS services integrated into the provider edge shows AA BVS services integrated into the provider edge.
