Method and switch for managing traffic in transport network

A switch for forwarding packets to a network node of a transport network, the packets traversing the transport network according to an assigned path from a source node to a destination node, the switch comprising:

• a plurality of input/output ports connected to a switching matrix,
• processing circuitry operatively connected to the plurality of input/output ports;
• memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the switch is operative to:
• determine end-to-end latency of a plurality of packets traversing the switch in packet flows, wherein to determine the end-to-end latency the switch is operative to, for each packet flow:
• determine an accumulated latency from the source node of the packet flow to the switch;
• estimate a forecasted latency from the switch to the destination node of the packet flow based on the assigned path of the packet flow;
• calculate the end-to-end latency of the packet flow as a sum of the accumulated latency value and forecasted latency value for the packet flow;
• assign priority values to packets traversing the switch, wherein a priority value of a packet depends on the determined end-to-end latency of the packet;
• and
• allocate a time slot in an output interface of the switch to the packet having the highest priority value among the packets competing for the time slot.

A centralized network element for orchestrating forwarding of packets in a transport network, the packets traversing the transport network according to an assigned path from a source node to a destination node, the centralized network element comprising:

• a communication interface for connecting to a plurality of switches in the network;
• processing circuitry operatively connected to the communication interface;
• memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the centralized network element is operative to:
• determine end-to-end latency of a plurality of packets traversing a switch in packet flows, wherein to determine the end-to-end latency the centralized network element is operative to, for each packet flow:
• determine an accumulated latency from the source node of the packet flow to the switch;
• estimate a forecasted latency from the switch to the destination node of the packet flow based on the assigned path of the packet flow;
• calculate the end-to-end latency of the packet flow as a sum of the accumulated latency value and forecasted latency value for the packet flow;
• instruct the switch to assign priority values to packets traversing the switch, wherein a priority value of a packet depends on the determined end-to-end latency of the packet;
• and
• instruct the switch to allocate a time slot in an output interface of the switch to the packet having the highest priority value among the packets competing for the time slot.

A transport network, comprising:

• a plurality of switches connecting at least one baseband unit (BBU) and a plurality of remote radio units (RRUs) or Radio Baseband Units (RBUs);
• wherein the plurality of switches are configured to manage traffic of a plurality of packets in a plurality of packet flows transmitted using a time-slotted interface, the packet flows traversing the plurality of switches of the transport network according to an assigned path from a source node to a destination node;
• wherein the plurality of switches are configured to manage the traffic by:
• determining an end-to-end latency of a plurality of packets traversing a current switch in packet flows, wherein determining the end-to-end latency comprises, for each packet flow:
• determining an accumulated latency from the source node of the packet flow to the current switch;
• estimating a forecasted latency from the current switch to the destination node of the packet flow based on the assigned path of the packet flow;
• calculating the end-to-end latency of the packet flow as a sum of the accumulated latency value and forecasted latency value for the packet flow;
• assigning priority values to the packets traversing the current switch, wherein a priority value of a packet depends on the determined end-to-end latency of the packets;
• and
• allocating a time slot in an output interface of the current switch to the packet having the highest priority value among the packets competing for the time slot.