Slow-start adaptive mechanisms to improve efficiency of bandwidth allocation

A method comprising

• detecting, at a network device operably connected to a link in a network, a first transport layer data flow corresponding to a first host and a second host among a plurality of transport layer data flows transmitted across the link;
• estimating, at a start of the first transport layer data flow between the first host and the second host, an initial rate demand for the first transport layer data flow, wherein the first host and the second host implement, relative to the first transport layer data flow, a protocol that utilizes a slow-start phase, wherein the initial rate demand is an estimated rate capacity for the data flow of a communications path between the first and second host, wherein the communications path includes the link;
• allocating bandwidth of the link to a plurality of data flows including assigning a target rate to the first transport layer data flow wherein the target rate is a fraction of the initial rate demand for the first transport layer data flow;
• enforcing, at the network device, the target rate on the first transport layer data flow;
• maintaining a count of transmitted bytes associated with the first transport layer data flow;
• and
• increasing the target rate allocated to the first transport layer data flow, if the count of transmitted bytes associated with the first transport layer data flow increases.

An apparatus comprising:

• a packet processor operative to
• detect, among a plurality of transport layer data flows, a first transport layer data flow in network traffic traversing a link in a communications path between a first host and a second host, wherein the first host and the second host implement, relative to the first transport layer data flow, a protocol that utilizes a slow- start phase;
• maintain a count of packets or bytes associated with the first transport layer data flow;
• a path rate detection module operative to
• estimate the initial rate demand for the first transport layer data flow, wherein the initial rate demand is an estimated rate capacity for the first transport layer data flow of a communications path between the first and second host;
• a bandwidth allocation module operative to
• allocate bandwidth of the link to a plurality of transport layer data flows including allocating bandwidth to the first transport layer data flow based in part on a target rate associated with the first transport layer data flow;
• and
• wherein the apparatus is operative to
• set a target rate for the first transport layer data flow wherein the target rate is less than the initial rate demand for the first transport layer data flow;
• and
• increase the target rate associated with the first transport layer data flow, if the count of packets or bytes associated with the first transport layer data flow exceeds a threshold value.

A method comprising

• allocating a limited amount of bandwidth to a plurality of transport layer data flows traversing a network between respective first and second hosts based on target rates associated with the transport layer data flows;
• and
• in response to detection of and for each data flow of at least a subset of the data flows,
• estimating an initial rate demand for the transport layer data flow between a first host and a second host, wherein the first host and the second host implement, relative to the transport layer data flow, a protocol that utilizes a slow-start phase, wherein the initial rate demand is an estimated rate capacity for the data flow of a communications path between the first and second host;
• setting a target rate to the transport layer data flow wherein the target rate is less than the initial rate demand for the transport layer data flow;
• maintaining a count of packets associated with the transport layer data flow;
• and
• increasing the target rate of the transport layer data flow, if the count of packets associated with the transport layer data flow exceeds at least one threshold.