Patent ID: 7426181

Claim:
In a network device operative to control data flows transmitted between hosts connected to a computer network, wherein at least some of the hosts employ slow-start mechanisms, a method comprising estimating the initial rate demand for a data flow between a first host and a second host; estimating the number of packets that the first host will transmit before achieving the initial rate demand; setting at least one threshold based on the number of packets in the second estimating step; allocating bandwidth for the flow, wherein the allocated bandwidth is a fraction of the initial rate demand for the flow; maintaining a count of the packets associated with the flow; and increasing the bandwidth allocated to the flow as the count crosses at least one threshold; wherein the estimating the number of packets that the first host will transmit before achieving the initial rate demand comprises estimating the round trip time between the first and second host; multiplying the initial demand rate associated with the data flow by the round trip time; and dividing the product of the multiplying step by an average packet size.