ENSURING DYNAMIC TRAFFIC SHAPING FAIRNESS

• US 20160028632A1
• Filed: 07/23/2014
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vasseur, Jean-Philippe, Dasgupta, Sukrit
• Granted Patent: US 9,577,937 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/122 by diverting traffic away from congested entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/22 Traffic shaping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/26 using explicit feedback to the source, e.g. choke packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/83 based on usage prediction

Abstract

In one embodiment, a device in a network receives an indication of a traffic shaping rate adjustment by a node due to a network condition. The device identifies a set of network nodes that are associated with the network condition. The device detects a traffic shaping rules violation by an offending node in the set of network nodes. The device sends an instruction that causes the offending node to use a different traffic shaping rate.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a device in a network, an indication of a traffic shaping rate adjustment by a node in the network due to a network condition;

identifying, by the device, a set of network nodes that are associated with the network condition;

detecting, by the device, a traffic shaping rules violation by an offending node in the set of network nodes; and

sending, by the device, an instruction that causes the offending node to use a different traffic shaping rate.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the rules violation corresponds to the offending node not adjusting its traffic shaping rate.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the rules violation corresponds to the offending node increasing its traffic shaping rate while a traffic shaping rate of another node in the set is decreased.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein the traffic shaping adjustment was made proactively by the node, and wherein the network condition is a predicted future network condition.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the set of network nodes that are associated with the network condition are identified by:

identifying a plurality of destinations used by the node;

determining a set of network devices used by traffic flows from the node to the destinations;

identifying a common network link between the set of network devices; and

identifying the set of network nodes as having used the common network link.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the instruction is sent to a provider-edge router that is upstream from the offending node and regulates the shaping rate for the incoming traffic originated by the offending node.

7. The method as in claim 1, wherein the network condition corresponds to contention for a network resource shared by the set of network nodes.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein the different traffic shaping rate is associated with a time period, and wherein the instruction causes the offending node to use the different traffic shaping rate during the time period.

9. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

storing, by the device, indications of traffic rate adjustments by the set of nodes.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein the rules violation corresponds to the offending node decreasing its traffic shaping rate by a percentage that is less than that of another node in the set.

11. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

querying, by the device, the set of nodes for traffic rate adjustments performed by the nodes.

12. The method as in claim 1, wherein traffic flowing through each node in the set has an associated criticality score, and wherein the different traffic shaping rate is based on the criticality scores.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more network interfaces to communicate with a network;

a processor coupled to the network interfaces and configured to execute one or more processors; and

a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to;

receive an indication of a traffic shaping rate adjustment by a node due to a network condition;

identify a set of network nodes that are associated with the network condition;

detect a traffic shaping rules violation by an offending node in the set of network nodes; and

send an instruction that causes the offending node to use a different traffic shaping rate.

14. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the rules violation corresponds to the offending node not adjusting its traffic shaping rate.

15. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the rules violation corresponds to the offending node increasing its traffic shaping rate while a traffic shaping rate of another node in the set is decreased.

16. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the traffic shaping adjustment was made proactively by the node, and wherein the network condition is a predicted future network condition.

17. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the set of network nodes that contribute to the network contention is identified by:

identifying a plurality of destinations used by the node;

determining a set of network devices used by traffic flows from the node to the destinations;

identifying a common network link between the set of network devices; and

identifying the set of network nodes as having used the common network link.

18. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the instruction is sent to a provider-edge router that is upstream from the offending node and regulates the shaping rate for the incoming traffic originated by the offending node.

19. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the network condition corresponds to contention for a network resource shared by the set of network nodes.

20. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the different traffic shaping rate is associated with a time period, and wherein the instruction causes the offending node to use the different traffic shaping rate during the time period.

21. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the process when executed is further operable to:

store indications of traffic rate adjustments by the set of nodes.

22. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the process when executed is further operable to:

query the set of nodes for traffic rate adjustments performed by the nodes.

25. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein traffic flowing through each node in the set has an associated criticality score, and wherein the different traffic shaping rate is based on the criticality scores.

26. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the rules violation corresponds to the offending node decreasing its traffic shaping rate by a percentage that is less than that of another node in the set.

23. (canceled)

24. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having software encoded thereon, the software when executed by a processor operable to:

receive an indication of a traffic shaping rate adjustment by a node due to a network condition;

identify a set of network nodes that are associated with the network condition;

detect a traffic shaping rules violation by an offending node in the set of network nodes; and

send an instruction that causes the offending node to use a different traffic shaping rate.