Method and apparatus for adaptive bandwidth control with a bandwidth guarantee

Abstract

A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code to monitor transmission of data to target. A determination is made as to whether the transmission of the data exceeds a threshold. The bandwidth used to transmit the data to the target is controlled using an adaptive bandwidth control process if the transmission of the data exceeds the threshold, wherein a minimum amount of bandwidth is guaranteed for the transmission of the data.

1 . A computer implemented method for adaptively controlling transmission of data, the computer implemented method comprising: 
 monitoring transmission of data to target;    determining whether the transmission of the data exceeds a threshold; and    controlling the bandwidth used to transmit the data to the target using an adaptive bandwidth control process if a parameter associated with the transmission of the data exceeds the threshold, wherein a minimum amount of bandwidth is guaranteed for the transmission of the data.    
     
     
         2 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining step comprises: 
 identifying a transmission speed of the data; and    comparing the transmission speed to the threshold.    
     
     
         3 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining step comprises: 
 identifying a percentage of total line speed used to transmit the data to the target; and    comparing the percentage of total line speed used to the threshold.    
     
     
         4 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 determining whether the transmission of data is less than or equal to a second threshold; and    ceasing use of the adaptive bandwidth control process if the transmission of the data is less than or equal to a second threshold.    
     
     
         5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the threshold is equal to the second threshold.  
     
     
         6 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the controlling step is implemented in an application layer.  
     
     
         7 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the controlling step is implemented in a transport layer.  
     
     
         8 . A computer program product comprising: 
 A computer usable medium having computer usable program code for adaptively controlling transmission of data, the computer program product including:    computer usable program code for monitoring transmission of data to target;    computer usable program code for determining whether the transmission of the data exceeds a threshold; and    computer usable program code for controlling the bandwidth used to transmit the data to the target using an adaptive bandwidth control process if a parameter associated with the transmission of the data exceeds the threshold, wherein a minimum amount of bandwidth is guaranteed for the transmission of the data.    
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the computer usable program code for determining whether the transmission of the data exceeds a threshold comprises: 
 computer usable program code for identifying a transmission speed of the data; and    computer usable program code for comparing the transmission speed to the threshold.    
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the computer usable program code for determining whether the transmission of the data exceeds a threshold comprises: 
 computer usable program code for identifying a percentage of total line speed used to transmit the data to the target; and    computer usable program code for comparing the percentage of total line speed used to the threshold.    
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 computer usable program code for determining whether the transmission of data is less than or equal to a second threshold; and    ceasing use of the adaptive bandwidth control process if the transmission of the data is less than or equal to a second threshold.    
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the threshold is equal to the second threshold.  
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the computer usable program code for controlling the bandwidth used to transmit the data to the target using an adaptive bandwidth control process if the transmission of the data exceeds the threshold, wherein a minimum amount of bandwidth is guaranteed for the transmission of the data is implemented in an application layer.  
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the computer usable program code for controlling the bandwidth used to transmit the data to the target using an adaptive bandwidth control process if the transmission of the data exceeds the threshold, wherein a minimum amount of bandwidth is guaranteed for the transmission of the data is implemented in a transport layer.  
     
     
         15 . A data processing system comprising: 
 a bus;    a communications unit connected to the bus;    a memory connected to the bus, wherein the storage device includes a set of computer usable program code; and    a processor unit connected to the bus, wherein the processor unit executes the set of computer usable program code to monitor transmission of data to target; determine whether the transmission of the data exceeds a threshold; and control the bandwidth used to transmit the data to the target using an adaptive bandwidth control process if a parameter associated with the transmission of the data exceeds the threshold, wherein a minimum amount of bandwidth is guaranteed for the transmission of the data.    
     
     
         16 . The data processing system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor unit further executes the computer usable program code to identify a transmission speed of the data; and compare the transmission speed to the threshold.  
     
     
         17 . The data processing system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor unit further executes the computer usable program code to identify a percentage of total line speed used to transmit the data to the target; and compare the percentage of total line speed used to the threshold.  
     
     
         18 . The data processing system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor unit further executes the computer usable program code to determine whether the transmission of data is less than or equal to a second threshold; and cease use of the adaptive bandwidth control process if the transmission of the data is less than or equal to a second threshold.  
     
     
         19 . The data processing system of  claim 18 , wherein the threshold is equal to the second threshold.  
     
     
         20 . The data processing system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor unit further executes the computer usable program code to control the bandwidth used to transmit the data to the target using an adaptive bandwidth control process if the transmission of the data exceeds the threshold, wherein a minimum amount of bandwidth is guaranteed for the transmission of the data is implemented in an application layer.