On-line estimation, network design and performance analysis with effective bandwidths

Abstract

Effective bandwidth is a tool for characterizing the queueing behavior of a traffic stream when it is fed to a queue. In this paper, we propose a method for on-line recursive estimation of effective bandwidths, a formula relating average queueing delay to the space parameter in effective bandwidths, and a network design scheme using effective bandwidths for bandwidth allocation and buffer dimensioning under quality of service (QoS) requirements on both average queueing delay and packet loss probability. We conduct experiments in a simulation testbed, and study the performance of our proposed network design scheme with both analytical and estimated effective bandwidths. Results show that QoS requirement with respect to average queueing delay can be roughly satisfied, and that packet loss probability target can be roughly or conservatively met by our design scheme. We also discuss the problems and refinement of effective bandwidths and our design scheme.