Packet sequencing: a deterministic protocol for QoS in IP networks

We describe a deterministic protocol for routing delay and loss-sensitive traffic through an IP network. Unlike traditional approaches, the method described here - packet sequencing - does not rely on queue management. Instead, it uses a temporally-based deterministic protocol to coordinate and switch IP packets on a systemwide basis. As a result, end-to-end throughput is guaranteed, without packet loss, loss variance, or accumulated performance impairment; additionally, end-to-end delay is minimized, and jitter is essentially eliminated. We also show that packet sequencing can complement conventional IP networks: sequencing does not negate the use of queue management QoS methods that are the subject of considerable ongoing study. This article describes the fundamental approach, issues associated with scalability, illustrative performance in the context of storage networking, and attributes related to the security and reliability of IP networks.