ADAPTIVE QUALITY OF SERVICE FOR WIDE AREA NETWORK TRANSPORT

• US 20160127944A1
• Filed: 11/04/2014
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pan, Rong, Zhu, Xiaoqing, Shah, Shitanshu V.
• Granted Patent: US 9,769,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/121 by minimising delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/125 based on throughput or bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/22 Traffic shaping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2425 for supporting services specification, e.g. SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0236 radio quality, e.g. interference, losses or delay

Abstract

An example method is provided and includes determining a time shift comprising a difference in time between a packet count observation at a transmit element and a corresponding packet count observation at a receive element connected to the transmit element via a link; obtaining a first packet count from the transmit element and a second packet count from the receive element; and adjusting at least one of the first packet count and the second packet count to compensate for the time shift. The method further includes comparing the adjusted first and second packet counts to determine whether there is a discrepancy between the counts and if a discrepancy is detected between the counts, adjusting a rate at which the transmit element sends packets to the receive element.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a time shift comprising a difference in time between a packet count observation at a transmit element and a corresponding packet count observation at a receive element connected to the transmit element via a link;

obtaining a first packet count from the transmit element and a second packet count from the receive element, wherein the first packet count comprises an indication of a number of packets sent by the transmit element during a predetermined time period and the second packet count comprises an indication of a number of packets received at the receive element during the predetermined time period;

adjusting at least one of the first packet count and the second packet count to compensate for the time shift;

comparing the adjusted first and second packet counts to determine whether there is a discrepancy between the counts; and

if a discrepancy is detected between the counts, adjusting a rate at which the transmit element sends packets to the receive element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining is performed during a training period and comprises estimating the time shift.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising periodically repeating the determining.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if a discrepancy is not detected between the counts, determining whether a predetermined time period has expired since a discrepancy was last detected; and

if the predetermined time period has expired, increasing the rate at which the transmit element sends packets to the receive element.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising periodically repeating the obtaining, adjusting, and comparing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the link is a Wide Area Network (“

WAN”

) link.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the WAN is implemented using an Internet.

8. Non-transitory tangible media having encoded thereon logic that includes instructions for execution and when executed by a processor operable to perform operations comprising:

determining a time shift comprising a difference in time between a packet count observation at a transmit element and a corresponding packet count observation at a receive element connected to the transmit element via a link;

obtaining a first packet count from the transmit element and a second packet count from the receive element, wherein the first packet count comprises an indication of a number of packets sent by the transmit element during a predetermined time period and the second packet count comprises an indication of a number of packets received at the receive element during the predetermined time period;

adjusting at least one of the first packet count and the second packet count to compensate for the time shift;

comparing the adjusted first and second packet counts to determine whether there is a discrepancy between the counts; and

if a discrepancy is detected between the counts, adjusting a rate at which the transmit element sends packets to the receive element.

9. The media of claim 8, wherein the determining is performed during a training period and comprises estimating the time shift.

10. The media of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise periodically repeating the determining.

11. The media of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

if a discrepancy is not detected between the counts, determining whether a predetermined time period has expired since a discrepancy was last detected; and

if the predetermined time period has expired, increasing the rate at which the transmit element sends packets to the receive element.

12. The media of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise periodically repeating the obtaining, adjusting, and comparing.

13. The media of claim 8, wherein the link is a Wide Area Network (“

WAN”

) link.

14. The media of claim 13, wherein the WAN is implemented using an Internet.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory for storing data; and

a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the data, wherein the processor and the memory cooperate such that the apparatus is configured for;

determining a time shift comprising a difference in time between a packet count observation at a transmit element and a corresponding packet count observation at a receive element connected to the transmit element via a link;

obtaining a first packet count from the transmit element and a second packet count from the receive element, wherein the first packet count comprises an indication of a number of packets sent by the transmit element during a predetermined time period and the second packet count comprises an indication of a number of packets received at the receive element during the predetermined time period;

adjusting at least one of the first packet count and the second packet count to compensate for the time shift;

comparing the adjusted first and second packet counts to determine whether there is a discrepancy between the counts; and

if a discrepancy is detected between the counts, adjusting a rate at which the transmit element sends packets to the receive element.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is further configured for periodically repeating the determining.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is further configured for:

if a discrepancy is not detected between the counts, determining whether a predetermined time period has expired since a discrepancy was last detected; and

if the predetermined time period has expired, increasing the rate at which the transmit element sends packets to the receive element.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is further configured for periodically repeating the obtaining, adjusting, and comparing.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the link is a Wide Area Network (“

WAN”

) link.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the WAN is implemented using an Internet. configuring a service on a network element;

associating a directly connected port with the service to create a port channel between the network element and a directly connected service appliance, the port channel comprising a plurality of member ports;

performing an auto-discovery process for each of the member ports; and

upon successful completion of the performing, indicating on the network element that the service appliance is operational.