Patent ID: 6671724
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
A system for dynamically allocating bandwidth among a plurality of distributed client computers interconnected by a network link, comprising:a plurality of agents, each agent being associated with one of the plurality of distributed client computers; and a control module, wherein the agents are adapted to repeatedly communicate bandwidth allocation data for the distributed client computers to the control module; in response to the bandwidth allocation data communicated by the agents, the control module is adapted to dynamically calculate a bandwidth allocation for each of the distributed client computers and communicate the calculated bandwidth allocation to the agent associated with the respective distributed client computer; and each agent is adapted to receive the calculated bandwidth allocation for its associated distributed client computer from the control module and restrict bandwidth usage by the distributed client computer to the calculated allocation, the control module being adapted to dynamically allocate bandwidth by: apportioning available bandwidth to determine a configured bandwidth share for each distributed client computer during an upcoming time period; obtaining a prior bandwidth allocation for each distributed client computer, wherein the prior bandwidth allocation is an amount of bandwidth allotted to each distributed client computer during a prior period; obtaining a utilized bandwidth for each distributed client computer, wherein the utilized bandwidth is an amount of bandwidth used by each distributed client computer during the prior period; and comparing the configured bandwidth share, prior bandwidth allocation and utilized bandwidth for each distributed client computer to determine an upcoming bandwidth allocation for each distributed client computer for the upcoming period.