Using bandwidth measurements to adjust CIR and EIR on a sub-rate link

1. A system in which bandwidth in both directions of a network segment is asymmetric, said system comprising:

a synthetic traffic generator device, said synthetic traffic generator device configured to:

generate a plurality of synthetic packets and mark each of said plurality of synthetic packets with a transmission timestamp indicative of a first clock time at which each synthetic packet is generated; and;

transmit each of said plurality of synthetic packets over said network;

a bandwidth measurement function device configured to:

measure said bandwidth in both directions of said network segment;

receive said plurality of synthetic packets and mark each received synthetic packet with a reception timestamp indicative of a second clock time at which said each received synthetic packet is received;

calculate an inter-packet delay variation by said bandwidth measurement function of said network segment based on said transmission timestamp and said reception timestamp of said generated plurality of synthetic packets;

calculate an available bandwidth of said network segment based on said calculated inter-packet delay variation; and

discard said generated plurality of synthetic packets after calculating said available bandwidth; and

a traffic shaper and scheduler device in communication with said synthetic traffic generator device, said traffic shaper and scheduler device configured to allocate said available bandwidth between a plurality of classes of service to achieve a best overall available bandwidth in both directions of said network segment, wherein when said available bandwidth falls below a predetermined level, bandwidth allocated to a lowest priority class of service of said plurality of classes of service is reduced.

2. The system of claim 1 , in which said bandwidth measurement function device is configured to derive said available bandwidth based at least in part on one or more previously calculated inter packet delay variations.

3. The system of claim 1 , in which said synthetic traffic generator device is configured to generate each of said plurality of synthetic packets with the same number of bytes.

4. The system of claim 1 , in which said synthetic traffic generator device is configured to transmit said plurality of synthetic packets substantially consecutively.

5. The system of claim 1 , in which said bandwidth measurement function device is configured to:

calculate said inter packet delay variation by calculating a first delay as a difference between said reception timestamp and said transmission timestamp for a first of said plurality of synthetic packets,

calculate a second delay for a second synthetic packet as a difference between said reception timestamp and said transmission timestamp for a second of said plurality of synthetic packets, and

set said inter packet delay variation as the difference between said second delay and said first delay.

6. The system of claim 1 , in which said bandwidth measurement function device is configured to derive the available bandwidth of the network segment by

multiplying a number of bytes in a first synthetic packet by the rate of a first link in said network segment and adding the calculated inter packet delay variation for said first synthetic packet, and

dividing the resulting sum by a number of bytes in said first synthetic packet.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein said traffic shaper and scheduler allocates bandwidth not allocated to said plurality of classes of service to a best effort class of service.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein when said available bandwidth falls below a predetermined level said bandwidth allocated to said best effort class of service is reduced.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein said bandwidth allocated to said lowest priority class of service of said plurality of classes of service is reduced to zero.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the network segment is disposed within a ring topology of an Ethernet network.

11. A system that adjusts committed information rate (CIR) and excess information rate (EIR) for classes of services in both directions of a network segment to achieve the best overall bandwidth of said link;

a synthetic traffic generator device configured to:

generate a plurality of synthetic packets and mark each of said plurality of synthetic packets with a transmission timestamp indicative of a first clock time at which each synthetic packet is generated, and;

transmit each of said plurality of synthetic packets over said network segment;

a bandwidth measurement function device configured to:

measure said bandwidth in both directions of said network segment;

receive said plurality of synthetic packets and mark each received synthetic packet with a reception timestamp indicative of a second clock time at which said each received synthetic packet is received;

calculate an inter-packet delay variation by said bandwidth measurement function of said network link based on said transmission timestamp and said reception timestamp of said generated plurality of synthetic packets;

calculate an available bandwidth of said network segment between based on said calculated inter-packet delay variation; and

discard said generated plurality of synthetic packets after calculating said available bandwidth; and

a traffic shaper and scheduler device in communication with said synthetic traffic generator device, said traffic shaper and scheduler device configured to allocate said available bandwidth between a plurality of classes of service by adjusting the CIR and EIR for each class of service to achieve a best overall available bandwidth of said network segment.

12. A method for managing an overall bandwidth of a network segment between a first location and a second location, said method comprising:

generating, by a synthetic traffic generator, a plurality of synthetic packets and marking each generated synthetic packet with a transmission timestamp indicative of a first clock time at which the synthetic packet is generated;

transmitting over said network segment, by said synthetic traffic generator device, each of the generated synthetic packets;

receiving, by a bandwidth measurement function device, each synthetic packet and marking each received synthetic packet with a reception timestamp indicative of a second clock time at which the synthetic packet is received;

calculating, by said bandwidth measurement function device, an inter-packet delay variation of said network segment based on said transmission timestamp and said reception timestamp of said generated plurality of synthetic packets;

deriving, by said bandwidth measurement function device, an available bandwidth of said network segment between said first and second locations based on said calculated inter-packet delay variation;

discard said generated plurality of synthetic packets after calculating said available bandwidth; and

allocating, by a traffic shaper and scheduler device, said available bandwidth between a plurality of classes of service by adjusting a CIR and EIR for each class of service to achieve a best overall available bandwidth in both directions of said network segment.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the deriving of said available bandwidth takes into account one or more previously calculated inter packet delay variations.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein each of said plurality of synthetic packets has the same number of bytes.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein said plurality of synthetic packets are transmitted substantially consecutively.

16. The method of claim 12 , in which said calculating said inter packet delay variation comprises:

calculating a first delay as a difference between said reception timestamp and said transmission timestamp for a first of said plurality of synthetic packets,

calculating a second delay for a second synthetic packet as a difference between said reception timestamp and said transmission timestamp for a second of said plurality of synthetic packets, and

setting said inter packet delay variation as the difference between said second delay and said first delay.

17. A method according to claim 12 , in which said deriving an available bandwidth of the network segment comprises:

multiplying a number of bytes in a first synthetic packet by the rate of a first link in said network segment and adding the calculated inter packet delay variation for said first synthetic packet, and

dividing the resulting sum by a number of bytes in said first synthetic packet.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein said traffic shaper and scheduler allocates bandwidth not allocated to said plurality of classes of service to a best effort class of service.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein when said available bandwidth falls below a predetermined level said bandwidth allocated to said best effort class of service is reduced.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein said bandwidth allocated to said lowest priority class of service of said plurality of classes of service is reduced to zero.