Managing TINA streams that use Internet transport

The current TINA Network Resource Architecture provides a flexible framework for integrated management and usage of various connection-oriented transport networks. By introducing the concept of layer network binding at the layer network level, this framework can also support connectionless transport networks. Interfaces allowing the manipulation of TCP and UDP endpoints in the terminal are specified so that IP connectivity providers can control the IP network part of TINA streams and associate it with the terminal part. The combination of these interfaces with the layer network binding concept facilitates the usage of basic and advanced Internet concepts such as IP unicasting and multicasting for TINA streams. Furthermore, it allows connectivity providers to transparently use any combination of transport network technologies, including IP, inside their network to meet the network quality of service requirements for TINA streams.