Virtual Queue Bandwidth Management via Token Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In network environments, existing technologies face challenges in efficiently managing bandwidth by categorizing data units to prevent congestion and ensure compliance with bandwidth limitations, particularly in shared network connections where quality of service issues arise.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a virtual queue system that simulates a real queue to anticipate congestion, using a modified single rate tri-color marker (srTCM) with a committed burst and excess burst, which allocates tokens to categorize packets as 'green', 'yellow', or 'red' based on their compliance with bandwidth limits, allowing for better control over packet transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a real queue is used to manage bandwidth, then packet transmission control is achieved, but congestion cannot be anticipated in advance
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual queue performs preliminary actions by simulating queue behavior and anticipating congestion before it actually occurs in the real queue. The system calculates virtual queue depth based on packet arrival rates and service rates, enabling early identification of potential congestion conditions and proactive bandwidth management.
2Reliability
If bandwidth sharing schemes are implemented, then quality of service is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a virtual copy of the real queue to simulate its behavior without physically duplicating the queue structure. The virtual queue uses mathematical models (arrival rates, service rates, depth calculations) to replicate queue dynamics, enabling complex bandwidth management decisions with minimal additional hardware complexity.
3Measurement precision
If packet categorization is performed, then bandwidth control precision is improved, but processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes parameters by dynamically calculating virtual queue depth based on varying packet arrival rates and service rates. Instead of using fixed thresholds, the system adapts its bandwidth control parameters in real-time based on actual network conditions, improving precision without requiring excessive processing of each individual packet.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus comprising a virtual queue configured to virtually receive virtual data units as the data units are actually received by a real queue. In various embodiments, the virtual queue may include a token counter decrementor configured to, as an entering data unit virtually enters the virtual queue, attempt to allocate the entering data unit to either the committed burst or the excess burst and decrement either the committed token counter (CTC) or the excess token counter (ETC) respectively. In one embodiment, a token counter incrementer configured to, as a data unit virtually exits the virtual queue, increment one of the token counters. In some embodiments, the virtual queue may include a congestion indicator configured to categorize the entering data unit. In various embodiments, the virtual queue may be configured to provide congestion feedback information based, at least in part, upon the state of the CTC & ETC.