On Network Bandwidth Sharing Policies and Explicit Feedback Control Algorithms for Packet Networks

This paper presents an in-depth survey on network bandwidth allocation policies and discuss design methodologies of distributed rate calculation algorithms in packet-switched networks. In particular, we discuss two rate allocation policies: the generalized max-min (GMM) and the weight-proportional max-min (WPMM) policies, both of which generalize the classical max-min rate allocation policy. For the design of distributed algorithms to achieve these two rate allocation policies, we focus on rate-based distributed ow control where special control packets are employed to achieve the information exchange between a source and the network. We categorize two broad classes of distributed rate calculation algorithms in the literature using live algorithms as illustrations. We compare the design tradeo s between these two classes of algorithms in terms of performance objectives and implementation complexities and discuss important extensions within each class of algorithms.