Traffic Prediction Algorithm for Speculative Network Processors

To support real-time applications, for instance Voice-over-IP, network infrastructure has to provide high bandwidth as well as short endto-end latency. To cope with both, network processors (NP) are selected. Current NP support transmission rates of OC-48. However, due to sequential packet layer processing, processing delay is not optimized. To solve this problem, speculative packet processing is applied, which requires accurate traffic prediction. In this article, we present a flexible dynamic protocol stack prediction algorithm which is well-suited for accurate traffic prediction and simulations show that it can sustain traffic bursts as well as transitions to changed traffic characteristics.