Patent ID: 6687651
Filing Date: 2004-02-03
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
An apparatus for estimating link utilization within a network device having at least one output port comprising:an integer counter associated with said at least one output port, wherein said integer counter increments in response to a predetermined event associated with said transmission of data from said at least one output port via at least one associated output link; and sampling logic for periodically sampling said counter to ascertain a quantity of data transmitted from said at least one output port within said respective sampling period; calculation logic, said calculation logic operative to ascertain for each sampling period: an error value equal to said quantity of data minus a historical mean value corresponding to said mean value of data transmitted from said at least one output port during prior sampling periods; a current mean value equal to said historical mean value plus said product of a first predetermined multiplier times said error value; and a current deviation value equal to a historical deviation plus said product of a second predetermined multiplier multiplied by said difference of said absolute value of said error value minus said historical deviation value, wherein said error value, said current mean value, said historical mean value, and said current deviation value are all integer values.