Packet network

A method of controlling flow based packets in a packet network element comprising:

• receiving flow based packets;
• wherein a received packet is associable with a first or second class of service;
• directing each received packet on the basis of its associated class to a first or a second corresponding packet buffer,
• said first packet buffer being allocated a predetermined portion of a predetermined output bandwidth;
• said second packet buffer being allocated the remaining portion of the output bandwidth;
• and
• directing packets from the first and second packet buffers to an output;
• selectively for said first class flows:
• determining bandwidth requirements associated with said first class flows;
• and
• admitting said first class flow packets to the first packet buffer if said associated bandwidth requirement can be met.

A host element for use in association with a packet network comprising:

• means for generating packet based flows and for associating each flow with a respective first or second class of service;
• a first packet buffer, having a first packet buffer size, arranged to receive packets associated with the first class of service;
• means for controlling the first packet buffer size;
• a second packet buffer arranged to receive packets associated with the second class of service;
• and
• means for directing packets from the first and second packet buffers to an output arranged to ensure that the first class packet flow rate does not exceed a selected peak rate bandwidth.

A method of generating packet based flows comprising:

• generating packet based flows and associating each flow with a respective selected associated first or second class of service;
• sending packets of first class flows to a first packet buffer, having a first packet buffer size, arranged to receive packets associated with the first class of service;
• controlling the first packet buffer size;
• sending packets of second class flows to a second packet buffer arranged to receive packets associated with the second class of service;
• and
• directing packets from the first and second packet buffers to an output arranged to ensure that the first class packet flow rate does not exceed a selected peak rate bandwidth.

A packet network comprising one or more packet network elements, each packet network element comprising:

• at least one input for receiving flow based packets;
• at least one output of predetermined bandwidth;
• wherein a received packet is associable with a first or second class of service;
• means for directing each received packet on the basis of its class to a first or a second corresponding packet buffer,
• said first packet buffer being allocated a predetermined portion of the output bandwidth;
• said second packet buffer being allocated the remaining portion of the output bandwidth;
• means for directing packets from the first and second packet buffers to an output;
• first class flow bandwidth requirement determination means arranged in operation, selectively for said first class flows, to determine bandwidth requirements associated with first class flows;
• and
• first class flow buffer admission means arranged in operation, selectively for said first class flows, to allow admission of the first class flow packets to the first packet buffer if said associated bandwidth requirement can be met.

A packet network element comprising:

• at least one input for receiving flow based packets;
• at least one output of predetermined bandwidth;
• first means for determining whether a received packet is associated with a first or second class of service;
• means for directing each received packet on the basis of its associated class to a first or a second corresponding packet buffer,
• said first packet buffer being of predetermined size to accommodate a predetermined number of flows and being allocated a predetermined portion of the output bandwidth, a currently unused portion thereof varying with the number of flows accommnodated,
• said second packet buffer being allocated a remaining portion of the output bandwidth;
• second means for determining a peak rate flow bandwidth requirement associated with a flow;
• first class flow buffer admission means for allowing admission of the first class flow packets to the first packet buffer if the first packet buffer is able to accept another flow and if the currently unused portion is able to meet the associated peak rate flow bandwidth requirements;
• and
• means for directing packets from the first and second packet buffers to an output.