1,097 research outputs found
Adaptive Early Packet Discarding Scheme to Improve Network Delay Characteristics of Real-Time Flows
The performance of a real-time networked application can be drastically affected by delays in packets traversing the network. Some real-time applications impose limits for acceptable network delay, and so a packet which is delayed longer than the limit before arriving at its destination is worthless to the flow to which the packet belongs. Not only that, but the rejected packet is also damaging to the quality of other flows in the network, because it may increase the queuing delay for other packets. Therefore, this paper proposes an adaptive scheme using two mechanisms, in which packets experiencing too great a delay are discarded at intermediate nodes based on the delay limit for the application and the delay experienced by each packet. This earlier discarding of packets is expected to improve the overall delay performance of real-time flows competing for network resources when the network is congested. An extensive simulation is conducted, and the results show that the scheme has great potential in improving the delay performance of real-time traffic in both homogeneous and heterogeneous environments in terms of traffic volume and application delay requirements
Enhanced transport protocols
The book presents mechanisms, protocols, and system architectures to achieve end-to-end Quality-of-Service (QoS) over heterogeneous wired/wireless networks in the Internet. Particular focus is on measurement techniques, traffic engineering mechanisms and protocols, signalling protocols as well as transport protocol extensions to support fairness and QoS. It shows how those mechanisms and protocols can be combined into a comprehensive end-to-end QoS architecture to support QoS in the Internet over heterogeneous wired/wireless access networks. Finally, techniques for evaluation of QoS mechanisms such as simulation and emulation are presented. The book is aimed at graduate and post-graduate students in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering with focus in data communications and networking as well as for professionals working in this area
Supporting real time video over ATM networks
Includes bibliographical references.In this project, we propose and evaluate an approach to delimit and tag such independent video slice at the ATM layer for early discard. This involves the use of a tag cell differentiated from the rest of the data by its PTI value and a modified tag switch to facilitate the selective discarding of affected cells within each video slice as opposed to dropping of cells at random from multiple video frames
iRED: A disaggregated P4-AQM fully implemented in programmable data plane hardware
Routers employ queues to temporarily hold packets when the scheduler cannot
immediately process them. Congestion occurs when the arrival rate of packets
exceeds the processing capacity, leading to increased queueing delay. Over
time, Active Queue Management (AQM) strategies have focused on directly
draining packets from queues to alleviate congestion and reduce queuing delay.
On Programmable Data Plane (PDP) hardware, AQMs traditionally reside in the
Egress pipeline due to the availability of queue delay information there. We
argue that this approach wastes the router's resources because the dropped
packet has already consumed the entire pipeline of the device. In this work, we
propose ingress Random Early Detection (iRED), a more efficient approach that
addresses the Egress drop problem. iRED is a disaggregated P4-AQM fully
implemented in programmable data plane hardware and also supports Low Latency,
Low Loss, and Scalable Throughput (L4S) framework, saving device pipeline
resources by dropping packets in the Ingress block. To evaluate iRED, we
conducted three experiments using a Tofino2 programmable switch: i) An in-depth
analysis of state-of-the-art AQMs on PDP hardware, using 12 different network
configurations varying in bandwidth, Round-Trip Time (RTT), and Maximum
Transmission Unit (MTU). The results demonstrate that iRED can significantly
reduce router resource consumption, with up to a 10x reduction in memory usage,
12x fewer processing cycles, and 8x less power consumption for the same traffic
load; ii) A performance evaluation regarding the L4S framework. The results
prove that iRED achieves fairness in bandwidth usage for different types of
traffic (classic and scalable); iii) A comprehensive analysis of the QoS in a
real setup of a DASH) technology. iRED demonstrated up to a 2.34x improvement
in FPS and a 4.77x increase in the video player buffer fill.Comment: Preprint (TNSM under review
New RED-type TCP-AQM algorithms based on beta distribution drop functions
In recent years, Active Queue Management (AQM) mechanisms to improve the
performance of TCP/IP networks have acquired a relevant role. In this paper we
present a simple and robust RED-type algorithm together with a couple of
dynamical variants with the ability to adapt to the specific characteristics of
different network environments, as well as to the user needs. We first present
a basic version called Beta RED (BetaRED), where the user is free to adjust the
parameters according to the network conditions. The aim is to make the
parameter setting easy and intuitive so that a good performance is obtained
over a wide range of parameters. Secondly, BetaRED is used as a framework to
design two dynamic algorithms, which we will call Adaptive Beta RED (ABetaRED)
and Dynamic Beta RED (DBetaRED). In those new algorithms certain parameters are
dynamically adjusted so that the queue length remains stable around a
predetermined reference value and according to changing network traffic
conditions. Finally, we present a battery of simulations using the Network
Simulator 3 (ns-3) software with a two-fold objective: to guide the user on how
to adjust the parameters of the BetaRED mechanism, and to show a performance
comparison of ABetaRED and DBetaRED with other representative algorithms that
pursue a similar objective
Quality of service optimization of multimedia traffic in mobile networks
Mobile communication systems have continued to evolve beyond the currently deployed Third
Generation (3G) systems with the main goal of providing higher capacity. Systems beyond 3G
are expected to cater for a wide variety of services such as speech, data, image transmission,
video, as well as multimedia services consisting of a combination of these. With the air interface
being the bottleneck in mobile networks, recent enhancing technologies such as the High Speed
Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), incorporate major changes to the radio access segment of
3G Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS). HSDPA introduces new features
such as fast link adaptation mechanisms, fast packet scheduling, and physical layer retransmissions
in the base stations, necessitating buffering of data at the air interface which presents a
bottleneck to end-to-end communication. Hence, in order to provide end-to-end Quality of
Service (QoS) guarantees to multimedia services in wireless networks such as HSDPA, efficient
buffer management schemes are required at the air interface.
The main objective of this thesis is to propose and evaluate solutions that will address the
QoS optimization of multimedia traffic at the radio link interface of HSDPA systems. In the
thesis, a novel queuing system known as the Time-Space Priority (TSP) scheme is proposed for
multimedia traffic QoS control. TSP provides customized preferential treatment to the constituent
flows in the multimedia traffic to suit their diverse QoS requirements. With TSP queuing, the
real-time component of the multimedia traffic, being delay sensitive and loss tolerant, is given
transmission priority; while the non-real-time component, being loss sensitive and delay tolerant,
enjoys space priority. Hence, based on the TSP queuing paradigm, new buffer managementalgorithms are designed for joint QoS control of the diverse components in a multimedia session
of the same HSDPA user. In the thesis, a TSP based buffer management algorithm known as the
Enhanced Time Space Priority (E-TSP) is proposed for HSDPA. E-TSP incorporates flow
control mechanisms to mitigate congestion in the air interface buffer of a user with multimedia
session comprising real-time and non-real-time flows. Thus, E-TSP is designed to provide
efficient network and radio resource utilization to improve end-to-end multimedia traffic
performance. In order to allow real-time optimization of the QoS control between the real-time
and non-real-time flows of the HSDPA multimedia session, another TSP based buffer management
algorithm known as the Dynamic Time Space Priority (D-TSP) is proposed. D-TSP
incorporates dynamic priority switching between the real-time and non-real-time flows. D-TSP
is designed to allow optimum QoS trade-off between the flows whilst still guaranteeing the
stringent real-time component’s QoS requirements. The thesis presents results of extensive
performance studies undertaken via analytical modelling and dynamic network-level HSDPA
simulations demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed TSP queuing system and the TSP
based buffer management schemes
A novel multimedia adaptation architecture and congestion control mechanism designed for real-time interactive applications
PhDThe increasing use of interactive multimedia applications over the Internet has created a problem of congestion. This is because a majority of these applications do not respond to congestion indicators. This leads to resource starvation for responsive flows, and ultimately excessive delay and losses for all flows therefore loss of quality. This results in unfair sharing of network resources and increasing the risk of network ‘congestion collapse’.
Current Congestion Control Mechanisms such as ‘TCP-Friendly Rate Control’ (TFRC) have been able to achieve ‘fair-share’ of network resource when competing with responsive flows such as TCP, but TFRC’s method of congestion response (i.e. to reduce Packet Rate) is not ideally matched for interactive multimedia applications which maintain a fixed Frame Rate. This mismatch of the two rates (Packet Rate and Frame Rate) leads to buffering of frames at the Sender Buffer resulting in delay and loss, and an unacceptable reduction of quality or complete loss of service for the end-user.
To address this issue, this thesis proposes a novel Congestion Control Mechanism which is referred to as ‘TCP-friendly rate control – Fine Grain Scalable’ (TFGS) for interactive multimedia applications.
This new approach allows multimedia frames (data) to be sent as soon as they are generated, so that the multimedia frames can reach the destination as quickly as possible, in order to provide an isochronous interactive service. This is done by maintaining the Packet Rate of the Congestion Control Mechanism (CCM) at a level equivalent to the Frame Rate of the Multimedia Encoder.The response to congestion is to truncate the Packet Size, hence reducing the overall bitrate of the multimedia stream. This functionality of the Congestion Control Mechanism is referred to as Packet Size Truncation (PST), and takes advantage of adaptive multimedia encoding, such as Fine Grain Scalable (FGS), where the multimedia frame is encoded in order of significance, Most to Least Significant Bits. The Multimedia Adaptation Manager (MAM) truncates the multimedia frame to the size indicated by the Packet Size Truncation function of the CCM, accurately mapping user demand to available network resource. Additionally Fine Grain Scalable encoding can offer scalability at byte level granularity, providing a true match to available network resources.
This approach has the benefits of achieving a ‘fair-share’ of network resource when competing with responsive flows (as similar to TFRC CCM), but it also provides an isochronous service which is of crucial benefit to real-time interactive services. Furthermore, results illustrate that an increased number of interactive multimedia flows (such as voice) can be carried over congested networks whilst maintaining a quality level equivalent to that of a standard landline telephone. This is because the loss and delay arising from the buffering of frames at the Sender Buffer is completely removed. Packets sent maintain a fixed inter-packet-gap-spacing (IPGS). This results in a majority of packets arriving at the receiving end at tight time intervals. Hence, this avoids the need of using large Playout (de-jitter) Buffer sizes and adaptive Playout Buffer configurations. As a result this reduces delay, improves interactivity and Quality of Experience (QoE) of the multimedia application
Delay-oriented active queue management in TCP/IP networks
PhDInternet-based applications and services are pervading everyday life. Moreover, the growing
popularity of real-time, time-critical and mission-critical applications set new challenges to
the Internet community. The requirement for reducing response time, and therefore latency
control is increasingly emphasized.
This thesis seeks to reduce queueing delay through active queue management. While
mathematical studies and research simulations reveal that complex trade-off relationships
exist among performance indices such as throughput, packet loss ratio and delay, etc., this
thesis intends to find an improved active queue management algorithm which emphasizes
delay control without trading much on other performance indices such as throughput and
packet loss ratio.
The thesis observes that in TCP/IP network, packet loss ratio is a major reflection of
congestion severity or load. With a properly functioning active queue management algorithm,
traffic load will in general push the feedback system to an equilibrium point in terms of
packet loss ratio and throughput. On the other hand, queue length is a determinant factor on
system delay performance while has only a slight influence on the equilibrium. This
observation suggests the possibility of reducing delay while maintaining throughput and
packet loss ratio relatively unchanged.
The thesis also observes that queue length fluctuation is a reflection of both load changes and
natural fluctuation in arriving bit rate. Monitoring queue length fluctuation alone cannot
distinguish the difference and identify congestion status; and yet identifying this difference is
crucial in finding out situations where average queue size and hence queueing delay can be
properly controlled and reasonably reduced. However, many existing active queue
management algorithms only monitor queue length, and their control policies are solely
based on this measurement. In our studies, our novel finding is that the arriving bit rate
distribution of all sources contains information which can be a better indication of
congestion status and has a correlation with traffic burstiness. And this thesis develops a
simple and scalable way to measure its two most important characteristics, namely the mean
ii
and the variance of the arriving rate distribution. The measuring mechanism is based on a
Zombie List mechanism originally proposed and deployed in Stabilized RED to estimate the
number of flows and identify misbehaving flows. This thesis modifies the original zombie
list measuring mechanism, makes it capable of measuring additional variables. Based on
these additional measurements, this thesis proposes a novel modification to the RED
algorithm. It utilizes a robust adaptive mechanism to ensure that the system reaches proper
equilibrium operating points in terms of packet loss ratio and queueing delay under various
loads. Furthermore, it identifies different congestion status where traffic is less bursty and
adapts RED parameters in order to reduce average queue size and hence queueing delay
accordingly.
Using ns-2 simulation platform, this thesis runs simulations of a single bottleneck link
scenario which represents an important and popular application scenario such as home
access network or SoHo. Simulation results indicate that there are complex trade-off
relationships among throughput, packet loss ratio and delay; and in these relationships delay
can be substantially reduced whereas trade-offs on throughput and packet loss ratio are
negligible. Simulation results show that our proposed active queue management algorithm
can identify circumstances where traffic is less bursty and actively reduce queueing delay
with hardly noticeable sacrifice on throughput and packet loss ratio performances.
In conclusion, our novel approach enables the application of adaptive techniques to more
RED parameters including those affecting queue occupancy and hence queueing delay. The
new modification to RED algorithm is a scalable approach and does not introduce additional
protocol overhead. In general it brings the benefit of substantially reduced delay at the cost
of limited processing overhead and negligible degradation in throughput and packet loss
ratio. However, our new algorithm is only tested on responsive flows and a single bottleneck
scenario. Its effectiveness on a combination of responsive and non-responsive flows as well
as in more complicated network topology scenarios is left for future work
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