Improved random early detection congestion control algorithm for internet routers

Abstract

In the internet, router plays a strategic role in the transmission of data packets. Active queue management (AQM) aimed at managing congestion by keeping a reduced average buffer occupancy and hence a minimal delay. The novel random early detection (RED) algorithm suffers from large average buffer occupancy and delay shortcomings. This problem is due in part to the existence of a distinctive linear packet drop function it deploys. In this paper, we present a new version of RED, called improved RED (IMRED). An important strategy of IM-RED is to deploy two dropping functions: i) nonlinear (i.e. quadratic) to deal with both light-and moderatenetwork traffic load conditions, and ii) linear to deal with heavy traffic load condition. Simulation experiments conducted using open-source ns-3 software to evaluate and compare the functionality of the proposed IM-RED with other two previous AQM algorithms confirmed that IM-RED reduces the average buffer occupancy and obtained an improved delay performance especially at heavy network traffic load scenario. Very fortunately, since RED algorithm is known to appear as a built-in model in ns-3 and even Linux kernel, its implementation can therefore be leveraged to obtain IMRED while only adjusting the packet dropping probability profile and holding on to its other attributes.