A virtual private network for use in a carrier network, the carrier network comprising at least one core device for routing data between edge devices on the carrier network, and edge device communication means for determining the minimum aggregateRTT (minRTT) for the carrier network, the virtual private network comprising:
- a. at least one source edge device;
- b. at least one destination edge device associated with each source edge device;
- c. means at each source edge device for estimating the rate of data flow (MeasuredRate) from the source edge device to each destination edge device associated therewith;
- d. means at each source edge device for estimating the round trip time (aggregateRTT) between the source edge device and each destination edge device associated therewith;
- e. a memory element at each source edge device containing a predetermined target rate of data flow (TargetRate) between the source edge device and each destination edge device associated therewith;
- f. a traffic conditioner at each source edge device comprising:
- i. in-marking means for marking a packet “in” if the MeasuredRate at the source edge device<=the TargetRate at the source edge device;
- and
- ii. out-marking means for marking a packet “out” with probability of a function of ((MeasuredRate−TargetRate)/MeasuredRate)*((minRTT/aggregateRTT)2) if the MeasuredRate at the source edge device>the TargetRate at the source edge device.