Generalized guaranteed rate scheduling algorithms: a framework

In this paper, we define a class of generalized guaranteed rate (GR) scheduling algorithms that includes algorithms which allocate a variable rate to the packets of a flow. We define work-conserving generalized virtual clock, packet-by-packet generalized processor sharing, and self-clocked fair queueing scheduling algorithms that can allocate a variable rate to the packets of a flow. We also define scheduling algorithms suitable for servers where packet fragmentation may occur. We demonstrate that if a class of rate controllers is employed for a flow in conjunction with any scheduling algorithm in GR, then the resulting non-work-conserving algorithm also belongs to GR. This leads to the definition of several non-work-conserving algorithms. We then present a method for deriving the delay guarantee of a network of servers when: (1) different rates are allocated to packets of a flow at different servers along the path and the bottleneck server for each packet may be different, and (2) packet fragmentation and/or reassembly may occur. This delay guarantee enables a network to provide various service guarantees to flows conforming to any specification. We illustrate this by utilizing delay guarantee to derive delay bounds for flows conforming to leaky bucket, exponentially bounded burstiness, and flow specification. Our method for determining these bounds is valid in internetworks and leads to tighter results.