Scalable data network, and router for a scalable data network

A router for switching data packets in a network, comprising:

• at least one input for receiving datastreams i;
• an aggregation circuit connected to said at least one input for aggregating data packets from at least two received datastreams to form an aggregated datastream ia;
• at least one output connected to said aggregation circuit for outputting the data packets in the aggregated datastream ia;
• a data packet relaying circuit connected to said at least one output for controlling an output of the data packets in the aggregated datastream ia via said at least one output;
• and
• a buffer connected to said aggregation circuit for temporari1y storing bits in the router;
• wherein, subject to a precondition that a limiting bit rate ri and a number of burst bits bi is determined for each datastream i supplied to the router, such that a number Aiin(t1, t2) of data bits received from the datastream i at said input of said router between a time t1 and a later time t2 satisfies the relationship
• Aiin(t1, t2)≦ri·(t2−t1)+bI
• for any given observation time period (t1, t2);
• said router controlling an emission of data packets in the aggregated datastream ia to the network such that
• Aiaout(t1, t2)≦Riaag·(t2−t1)+Bia
• is satisfied for a limiting bit rate Riaag and a number of burst bits Bia for the number Aiaout(t1, t2) of data bits in the aggregated datastream ia emitted to the network via said output from said data packet relaying circuit in the observation time period (t1, t2);
• where
• Riaag and Bia are independent of the observation time period (t1, t2);
• and
• the number of burst bits Bia is variable on the router.

A method of configuring a network having routers in network nodes, wherein at least some of the routers are configured to receive and aggregate a number of datastreams, and to output in each case at least one aggregated datastream, the method which comprises:

• setting a precondition that a limiting bit rate ri and a number of burst bits bi are definable for each datastream i supplied to a router from outside the network, such that a number Aiin(t1, t2) of data bits received at an input of the router from the respective datastream i, between a time t1 and a later time t2, satisfies the relationship
• Aiin(t1, t2)≦ri*(t2−t1)+bi
• for any given observation time period (t1, t2);
• controlling, with each router j, an emission of data packets in the datastream ia(j) aggregated by the router j such that, for a limiting bit rate Ria(j)ag and for a number of burst bits Bia(j), the number Aia(j)out(t1, t2) of data bits output at one output of the router in the observation time period in the aggregated datastream ia(j) satisfies the relationship
• Aia(j)out(t1, t2)≦Ria(j)ag*(t2−t1)+Bia(j)
• where Ria(j)ag and Bia(j) are independent of the observation time period (t1, t2);
• and
• selecting a number of burst bits Bia(j) for each router j.

A method of aggregating and relaying data packets received in a number of datastreams i via at least one input of a router to an output of the router, subject to the precondition that a limiting bit rate ri and a number of burst bits bi can be determined for each datastream i supplied to the router, such that a number Aiin(t1, t2) of data bits received from the datastream i at the input of the router between a time t1 and a later time t2 satisfies the relationship

• Aiin(t1, t2)≦ri*(t2−t1)+bi
• for any given observation time period (t1, t2),
• the method which comprises the following steps:
• selecting a number of burst bits Bia for the aggregated datastream ia;
• controlling an output of data packets in the aggregated datastream ia such that the relationship
• Aiaout(t1, t2)≦Riaag*(t2−t1)+Bia
• is satisfied for a limiting bit rate Riaag and the preselected number of burst bits Bia by the number Aiaout(t1, t2) of data bits in the aggregated datastream ia which are emitted at the output of the router in the observation time period (t1, t2);
• and
• wherein Riaag and Bia are independent of the observation time period (t1, t2).