Quality of Service perceptiveness versus network performance in a wide Area optical MPLS test bed

We experimentally investigate about the Quality of Service perceived by the users, in a wide area IP network based on Fiber to the Building architecture, as a function of the network performance (throughput, packet jitter,...). The network consists of a real optical network based on core routers with optical Gigabit Ethernet interfaces connected by means of long single mode fibers (about 50 km). Introduction. Management and control of the Quality of Service (QoS) are key issues for the evolution of the next generation IP network [1]. In the past QoS measurements mainly regarded the television environment and most of the methods were defined in the ITU-R organism [2]. But due to impressive presence of triple play services over IP new normative has been introduced to define the QoS in an IP environment [3]. However, at our knowledge, a deep investigation about the correlation among typical measurements on the network performance as throughput, packet loss, packet jitter and delay (objective or network measurements) and the quality of service perceptiveness shown by the users (subjective or perceptive measurements) is still absent. In order to have a representative ensemble of comparison between objective and subjective measurements an IP network test bed, representing a wide regional network environment, including both an access and core part, was implemented and QoS investigations were performed by testing some multimedia services. Test bed structure and equipments