Abstract: A network traffic classification process, including the steps of: monitoring network traffic flows to dynamically generate, for each of the network traffic flows and in real-time, time series data sets representing, for each of upstream and downstream directions of the network traffic flow, for each of a plurality of successive timeslots, and for each of a plurality of packet length bins, a packet count and a byte count of packets received within the timeslot and having one or more lengths within the corresponding packet length bin; and processing the time series data sets of each network traffic flow to classify the network flow into one of a plurality of predetermined network traffic classes, without using payload content of the network traffic flow.

Abstract: A network bandwidth apportioning process executed by an Internet Service Provider (ISP), the process includes: defining a utility function representing, a relationship between allocated bandwidth of a predetermined network traffic class and a deemed utility of the class; determining, for each of the classes of network traffic, a corresponding portion of network bandwidth to be allocated to the class such that the sum of the deemed utilities for the classes is maximised for the determined portions; and apportioning network bandwidth of the ISP between the predetermined classes of network traffic according to the determined portions of network bandwidth. Network bandwidth apportioning further includes classifying each of the packets into predetermined classes of network traffic and allocating network bandwidth to each of the classes according to the determined portion of network bandwidth for the class.