Adaptive configuration of elastic high speed multiclass networks

Network design is a compromise between two conflicting requirements: high network efficiency and high quality of service (QoS). High efficiency suggests full sharing of network resources. However, in a multiclass network, QoS differentiation among several traffic classes suggests traffic segregation and resource partitioning. High efficiency in a partitioned network can be realized by elastic time-varying partitioning of the network capacity. The network can be laterally divided into bands, and each band may be reconfigured frequently, under the constraint of the fixed total capacity. Rapid partitioning is facilitated by two main developments: the capability of high-speed transfer of control data, and the ease of dynamic partitioning of link capacity. This article describes how elastic network bands are used to realize an efficient network serving heterogeneous traffic. It also discusses the intraband management of independent connections and reserved end-to-end paths so that the connection-request processing load is reduced while a high transport-capacity utilization is maintained.