Adaptive per-flow traffic engineering based on probe packet measurements

Abstract

In this research, we propose a new connection admission control and online traffic engineering framework. The framework is designed to fit small networks using differentiated services, e.g. radio access networks. Decisions are made at the edge routers of the network. Multiple disjoint label switched paths are pre-configured between each pair of edge routers (ERs). Between each pair of ERs, probe packets are sent on every path between those ERs and for every class of service. The characteristics of the transmission are measured at the ER at the end of the path, the egress ER. It sends the results back in feedback packets to the ingress ER at the beginning of the path. Additionally, low priority probe packets are sent at high rates to discover and reserve available bandwidth. The achieved throughput of those probes is also reported in feedback packets. Based on the results in these feedback packets, ERs render an admission decision for new connection requests and pick a path.