A shaping method, a shaper realizing such a shaping method and a communication network including such a shaper

摘要

The invention relates to a shaping method for use by a shaper in a communication network in order to convert an incoming data flow with an incoming data packet rate into an outgoing data flow with an outgoing data packet rate. The shaper includes a buffer which is leaked with the outgoing data packet rate in order to provide thereby the outgoing data flow. The shaping method includes the following steps : determining a value of a future incoming data packet rate of the incoming data packet rate; and determining a value of a buffer occupancy related to the number of data packets of the incoming data flow which is received and actual buffered by a buffer included in the shaper; the buffer is leaked with the outgoing data packet rate in order to provide thereby the outgoing data flow; and determining a value of the outgoing data packet rate in function of the value of the future incoming data packet rate and the value of the buffer occupancy. The shaping method further includes the step of : determining a value of the outgoing data packet rate also in function of a predetermined peak data packet rate and a predetermined minimum data packet rate. Herewith the shaper is enabled to support a service category which provides a service with a predetermined minimum guaranteed bandwidth according to the predetermined minimum data packet rate and which allows use of excess bandwidth over the predetermined minimum guaranteed bandwidth whereby the excess bandwidth is limited according to the predetermined peak data packet rate.