On rate allocation 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 generic 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 flow 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 tradeoffs between these two classes of algorithms in terms of performance objectives and implementation complexities and discuss important extensions within each class of algorithms.