The motivation of the EuQoS project is to resolve the outstanding design issues associated with the delivery of end to end QoS service across heterogeneous networks. It is necessary to resolve the QoS outstanding issue in order that new applications can be supported by the Internet and that the infrastructure is upgraded in order that new service packages are offered by operators, ISP and other service providers.

The key objective of EuQoS is to research, integrate, test, validate and demonstrate end-to-end QoS technologies to support the infrastructure up-grade for advanced QoS-aware applications - voice, video-conferencing, video-streaming, educational, tele-engineering and medical applications - over multiple, heterogeneous research, scientific and industrial network domains.

EuQoS will deliver a Flexible and Secure QoS Assurance System (EuQoS system). As QoS is primarily a challenge for the access network, the EuQoS system will be integrated, tested, simulated, validated and trialed in NREN and operator research access networks with the GEANT core providing Pan European support. This and similar heterogeneous infrastructure requires a QoS technical solution that has not been synthesised to date.

The EuQoS project will propose and develop new QoS mechanisms which build upon the state of the art and incorporate the following mechanisms:

1. Monitoring and Measurements
2. Admission Control
3. Failure Management
4. Signaling & Service Negotiation
5. Security and AAA
6. Charging
7. Traffic Engineering & Resource Optimisation

Delivering the EuQoS System
The EuQoS project has 7 workpackages. These are:

1. Business Model & System Design
2. System Monitoring for Validation & Certification Methodology
3. Implementation of EuQoS System
4. Adaption of Applications
5. EuQoS Pan European Trials
6. Dissemination, Standards & Training
7. Project Management

The idea is to build a European wide research test- bed to deploy QoS solutions to support end-user applications over multiple access network infrastructure test-beds interconnected by the GÉANT backbone network. This test-bed will include NRENs from ten different countries and the production networks of four telecommunication operators. Over the test-bed, EuQoS will research, develop and integrate state-of-the-art QoS technologies in order to prepare for future QoS upgrades in European telecommunications infrastructure and deliver roadmaps and strategic guidance to industry.

EuQoS will focus in the infrastructure upgrade problem for QoS. It is necessary to resolve the QoS challenge to enable early deployment in Europe of Next Generation Information and Communications Networks. EuQoS will focus on the QoS features of new Internet protocols and will develop demonstration middleware for QoS support for a number of different access network technologies.