Patent ID: 8218437
Filing Date: 2012-07-10
Classification: H04L,Y02D

Abstract:
1. a method performed by a network device, the method comprising: allocating, by a control unit of the network device, a portion of an aggregate bandwidth to one of a plurality of traffic classes of traffic entering the network device, the aggregate bandwidth associated with a best effort rate value; determining, by the control unit and without communicating with a downstream device, an approximation of a length of a queue associated with the downstream device; determining, by the control unit, a new best effort rate based on the approximation of the length of the queue associated with the downstream device and the best effort rate value; shaping, by the control unit and based on the new best effort rate, an outgoing traffic flow associated with the network device, the outgoing traffic flow including best effort rate traffic; and allocating, by the control unit and based on the approximation of the length of the queue associated with the downstream device, an unused portion of the aggregate bandwidth to another one of the plurality of traffic classes determined to be exceeding an associated portion of the aggregate bandwidth, the one of the plurality of traffic classes associated with a first priority and the other one of the plurality of traffic classes associated with a second priority, the second priority being a higher priority than the first priority.