A simple shaping scheme for frame-based bandwidth allocation

Packet switching devices that rely on input buffering to prevent cell loss in the switch fabric must regulate the arrival pattern of data packets to the input links of the switch fabric. Frame-based bandwidth allocation can be used in cell-based switch fabrics to regulate the number of cells from a flow entering the fabric during a fixed-length frame of cell slots. We present a simple cell slot assignment algorithm for distributing each flow´s cell slot allocations within a frame. The algorithm controls the inter-cell spacing for each flow and bounds fabric queues to a small number independent of the frame length. The simplicity of the algorithm supports per-frame changes in the allocated rates