Active queue management methods and devices

Abstract

Novel methods and devices are provided for AQM of input-buffered network devices. Preferred implementations of the invention control overall buffer occupancy while protecting uncongested individual VOQs. The probability of setting a 'global drop flag' (which is not necessarily used to trigger packet drops, but may also be used to trigger other AQM responses) may depend, at least in part, on the lesser of a running average of buffer occupancy and instantaneous buffer occupancy. In some preferred embodiments, this probability also depends on the number of active VOQs. Moreover, a global drop flag is set in conjunction with a drop threshold M associated with the VOQs. Whether an AQM response is made may depend on whether a global drop flag has been set and whether a destination VOQ contains M or more packets. Different M values may be established for different classes of traffic, e.g., with higher M values for higher-priority traffic. AQM responses (e.g., to drop packets) may be taken more aggressively when there is a larger number of active VOQs.