Abstract: Methods and systems for estimating the number of active connections in a node in a communications network are described. The node estimates the number of active connections, without maintaining state information on each connection in the node, by sampling one or more packets in a buffer in the node when the node receives a packet, determining the number of sampled packets that are associated with the same connection as the received packet, and estimating the number of active connections in the node based on the determined number of the sampled packets. The node stabilizes the number of packets in the buffer by estimating the number of active connections in the node based on a sampling of the packets in the buffer when the node receives a packet, determining a probability for discarding the received packet based on the estimated number of the active connections and the recent buffer occupancy, and discarding the received packet according to the determined probability.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamically adjusting the total bandwidth that an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switching system can make available to Available Bit Rate (ABR) virtual circuits comprise the steps of by determining a set of weighted “cutoffs” for the ABR virtual circuits, respectively, determining a first total expected rate (Exp_Rate) for recently active virtual circuits that are bottlenecked elsewhere based on the weighted cutoffs, setting a second total expected rate for active virtual circuits that are bottlenecked elsewhere to the first total expected rate, determining a total bandwidth available in the switching system for active virtual circuits that are bottlenecked in the switching system based on the first total expected rate, and setting to zero the first total expected rate.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining the number of active connections in a node in a communications network are described. The node determines the number of active connections by sampling a list of recently active connections in the node when the node receives a packet, and estimating the number of active connections based on whether the packet is associated with a sampled entry in the list. Each entry in the list includes a connection identifier and a count. The node stabilizes the buffer occupancy by estimating the number of active connections in the node based on a sampling of the list of recently active connections when the node receives a packet, determining a probability for discarding the packet based on the estimated number of active connections and the recent buffer occupancy, and discarding the packet according to the determined probability.

Abstract: A methodology and concomitant circuitry for smoothing delay sensitive traffic utilizes short term traffic forecasts and guarantees meeting a prespecified delay constraint. The pattern of incoming traffic is used to forecast estimates of future incoming data from the present and past incoming data. Corresponding to the estimate is a data rate for propagating stored data to produce a smoothed outgoing data rate, and the interval of time over which such a rate is used so as to satisfy the delay constraint. The estimation procedure is then re-invoked at the end to the time interval, which takes into account data arriving during the time interval, so as to determine the next succeeding data rate and a new time interval for propagating stored data.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for routing service requests through a network comprising nodes interconnected with links. The network is also arranged so that each node may communicate with each of the other nodes. At preselected time intervals, sets of routes through the network are generated in response to the network configuration and traffic information. Also, at predetermined time intervals, occupancy factors are computed as determined by the network configuration and in response to traffic information. Upon a request for service, the occupancy factors corresponding to the busy-idle status of the links are used to compute an occupancy value associated with each of the routes. Each route is converted to a candidate route based on traffic load at the initiation of the service request. The minimum occupancy value for each set of routes is selected as the candidate route for bridging a given node pair.