Patent ID: 7948878

Claim:
A method of policing data flow between nodes in a data network through a policing node, said data network providing a network service having an associated reference rate adaptation policy, wherein a data flow conforming to such policy and experiencing particular path conditions would have a particular greediness determinable therefrom, said method comprising using at least one processor at said policing node to: determine a measure of greediness of an actual data flow through said policing node; establish a measure representing acceptable greediness for a policy-conforming data flow; compare said determined measure of greediness with said established measure representing acceptable greediness for such a policy-conforming data flow; and designate the actual data flow for possible future sanction in the event that said comparison indicates that the determined greediness of the actual data flow through said policing node is not in accordance with the established acceptable greediness for such a policy-conforming data flow; wherein said established measure representing acceptable greediness for such a policy-conforming data flow is established in dependence on an expected greediness, said expected greediness being determined to be that which would be expected for a data flow conforming to the reference rate adaptation policy associated with said network service and experiencing similar path conditions to those being experienced by the actual data flow through said policing node.