Optiva Media´s Q4S protocol to measure the networks quality in real time

13/08/2020

We are proud to announce that the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) has approved Optiva Media´s Quality for Service (Q4S) protocol as an informational RFC with the number 8802.

The Q4S protocol provides a mechanism to negotiate and monitor latency, jitter, bandwidth, and packet loss, and to alert whenever one of the negotiated conditions is violated.. This mechanism improves the user experience with interactive video applications on fixed and mobile networks, particularly in the entertainment industry (virtualized games, multiplayer online games) but also in applications where a smooth user experience is expected.

The purpose of Q4S is to measure end-to-end network quality in real time enabling applications to become reactive under quality changes. To achieve it, an independent Q4S stack application must run in parallel with the target application. Q4S does not establish multimedia sessions, and it does not transport any application data. Therefore, it does not impose any restrictions on the type of application, protocol, or usage of the monitored quality connection.

You can find more information about the protocol in this link

The benefits in quality measurements provided by Q4S can be used by any type of application that uses any type of protocol for data transport. Q4S is able to adapt to the changing application needs, providing a quality monitoring scheme for any communication that takes place between the client and the server.

Q4S protocol is the product of research conducted over a number of years by a consortium of the companies Optiva Media and Nokia, together with the Polytechnic University of Madrid and Tecnalia research centre. It serves the highest quality of multimedia connection with a  striking level of functionality and adaptability. Q4S protocol is a service that benefits both operators and service providers (OTTs) and, therefore, the end users. 

You can learn more about this RFC protocol in their official website through this link