Method and apparatus for managing aggregate bandwidth at a server

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for managing traffic in a network data processing system. Traffic for a plurality of network paths is monitored. In response a packet for a particular network path within the plurality of network paths causing traffic for the particular network path to exceed a level of traffic allowed, an amount of available bandwidth is reduced based on a fair share for the particular network path.

1 . A method in a data processing system for managing traffic in a network data processing system, the method comprising:
 monitoring at a server traffic for each of a plurality of TCP connections or UDP associations through a given network path; and   prior to sending a packet on a selected TCP connection or UDP association within the plurality of TCP connections and UDP associations, determining if the packet will cause the traffic for the network path to exceed a threshold and, if the packet will cause the traffic for the network path to exceed the threshold, further determining if the packet will cause the traffic for the selected TCP connection or UDP association to exceed its fair share amount of the network path and if so, reducing the traffic for the selected TCP connection or UDP association using an action based on a transmission protocol corresponding to the selected TCP connection or UDP association.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the traffic comprises at least one of a data transfer rate, peak data transfer rate, burst size, and maximum packet size. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the action comprises:
 reducing a sending size for data packets.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the threshold takes into account a fair share of bandwidth available for the plurality of TCP connections or UDP associations. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said monitoring at a server comprises monitoring at a source the traffic for the plurality of TCP connections or UDP associations through a given network. 
     
     
         6 . A computer program product for managing traffic in a network data processing system, the computer program product comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therein, the computer readable medium comprising:   computer usable program code configured to monitor an aggregate traffic amount at a server for each of a plurality of TCP connections or UDP associations through a given network path and, prior to sending a packet on a particular TCP connection or UDP association within the plurality of TCP connections or UDP associations, determining if the packet will cause the aggregate traffic amount for the network path to exceed a level of aggregate traffic allowed;   computer usable program code configured to reduce the traffic for one of the particular TCP connection or UDP association and another TCP connection or UDP association using an action based on a transmission protocol corresponding to the one TCP connection or UDP association in response to the packet for the particular TCP connection or UDP association within the plurality of TCP connections or UDP associations causing the aggregate traffic for the network path to exceed the level of aggregate traffic allowed, and   wherein when the one TCP connection or UDP connection comprises a TCP connection, the action comprises reducing a congestion window size by multiplying an amount of bandwidth available by a dynamic variable that is adjusted using changing requirements of the network path to reduce the amount of bandwidth available based on a fair share for the one TCP connection.   
     
     
         7 . The computer program product of  claim 6 , wherein the aggregate traffic amount is monitored using at least one of a data transfer rate, peak data transfer rate, burst size, and maximum packet size. 
     
     
         8 . The computer program product of  claim 6 , wherein the congestion window size is reduced as follows:
     CW =max(MinW, min( CW*F ,MaxW))   
       wherein CW is the congestion window size, Min W is a minimum congestion window size for the one TCP connection, Max W is a maximum congestion window size for the one TCP connection, and F is the dynamic variable. 
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 6 , wherein the action comprises:
 setting a quality of service for packets.   
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 6 , wherein the action comprises:
 dropping the packet.   
     
     
         11 . A computer program product for managing traffic in a network data processing system, the computer program product comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therein, the computer usable program code comprising:   computer usable program code configured to monitor traffic at a server for each of a plurality of TCP connections or UDP associations through a given network path and, prior to sending a packet on a selected TCP connection or UDP association within the plurality of TCP connections or UDP associations, determine if the packet will cause the traffic for the network path to exceed a threshold;   computer usable program code configured to reduce the traffic for the selected TCP connection or UDP association using an action based on a transmission protocol corresponding to the selected TCP connection or UDP association if the packet will cause the traffic for the network path to exceed the threshold and if the packet will cause the traffic for the selected TCP connection or UDP association to exceed its fair share amount of the network path.   
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the traffic comprises at least one of a data transfer rate, peak data transfer rate, burst size, and maximum packet size. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the action comprises:
 reducing a sending size for data packets.   
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the threshold takes into account a fair share of bandwidth available for the plurality of TCP connections or UDP associations. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein said monitoring at a server comprises monitoring at a source the traffic for the plurality of TCP connections or UDP associations through a given network. 
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein when the selected TCP connection or UDP association comprises a TCP connection, the action comprises:
 reducing a congestion window size by multiplying an amount of bandwidth available by a dynamic variable that is adjusted using changing requirements of the network path to reduce the amount of bandwidth available based on a fair share for the one TCP connection.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the congestion window size is reduced as follows:
     CW =max(MinW, min( CW*F ,MaxW))   
       wherein CW is the congestion window size, Min W is a minimum congestion window size for the one TCP connection, Max W is a maximum congestion window size for the one TCP connection, and F is the dynamic variable. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the action comprises:
 setting a quality of service for packets.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the action comprises:
 dropping the packet.