Technique for providing end-to-end congestion control with no feedback from a lossless network
First Claim
1. A method for achieving an end-to-end data flow rate supported by a communications network having a source and a destination interconnected by communication links, the method comprising the steps of:
- initiating a data flow at the source over the links, the data flow comprising a plurality of packet pairs;
measuring an amount of data received at the destination over a predetermined time interval;
measuring a packet gap for each packet pair received at the destination over the predetermined time interval; and
determining, in response to the measured data and packet gap, a supportable data flow rate in the network so that the data flow initiated by the source can flow through the network without loss of data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A congestion management technique achieves an end-to-end data flow rate that is supported by a lossless communications network. The end-to-end rate extends from a source end node to destination end node of the network and is preferably at or slightly below a bottleneck rate of the network. The destination end node determines, on its own and without any help from network elements, a supportable rate of activity in the network and provides feedback to the source end node. By achieving such a rate, data transmitted by the source end node can flow through the network without loss of packets and without the use of substantial buffering.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for achieving an end-to-end data flow rate supported by a communications network having a source and a destination interconnected by communication links, the method comprising the steps of:
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initiating a data flow at the source over the links, the data flow comprising a plurality of packet pairs; measuring an amount of data received at the destination over a predetermined time interval; measuring a packet gap for each packet pair received at the destination over the predetermined time interval; and determining, in response to the measured data and packet gap, a supportable data flow rate in the network so that the data flow initiated by the source can flow through the network without loss of data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system adapted to achieve an end-to-end data flow rate supported by a communications network having a source and a destination interconnected by communication links, the system comprising:
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a credit-based flow control mechanism configured to regulate packe pairs of a data flow over a predetermined time interval; and congestion management logic configured to measure an amout of data received at the destination that has traversed the network over the time interval and to measure a packet gap for each received packet pair to determine if capacity of the network has increased, the congestion management logic further calculating an expected packet gap and determining if the measured packet gap is equal to or greater than the expected gap, or less than the expected gap wherein a combination of the calculation and measurements allows the destination to inform the source whether to decrease or increase the amount of data sent during a next time interval. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. Apparatus for achieving an end-to-end data flow rate supported by a communications network having a source and a destination interconnected by communication links, the apparatus comprising:
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means for initiating a data flow at the source over the links, the data flow comprising a plurality of packet pairs paced out over a predetermined time interval; means for measuring an amount of data received at the destination over the predetermined time interval; means for measuring a packet gap for the packet pairs at the destination over the predetermined time interval; means for calculating an expected packet gap based on previously extended credits; means for determining if the measured packet gap is equal to or greater than the expected gap, or less than the expected gap; and means for determining, in response to the means for measuring and calculating, a supportable data flow rate in the network so that the data flow initiated by the source can flow through the network without loss of data.
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20. A computer readable medium containing executable program instructions for achieving an end-to-end data flow rate supported by a communications network having a source and a destination interconnected by communication links, the executable program instructions comprising program instructions for:
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initiating a data flow at the source over the links, the data flow comprising a plurality of packet pairs paced out over a predetermined time interval; measuring an amount of data received at the destination over the predetermined time interval; measuring a packet gap for the packet pairs at the destination over the predetermined time interval; calculating an expected packet gap based on previously extended credits; determining if the measured packet gap is equal to or greater than the expected gap, or less than the expected gap; and determining a supportable data flow rate in the network so that the data flow initiated by the source can flow through the network without loss of data.
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Specification