GSM BSS

GBSS14.0

AQM Feature Parameter Description

Issue 01
Date 2012-04-28

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

Copyright © Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. 2012. All rights reserved.
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AQM Feature Parameter Description Contents

Contents

1 About This Document..................................................................................................................1

1.1 Scope..................................................................................................................................................................1
1.2 Intended Audience..............................................................................................................................................1
1.3 Change History...................................................................................................................................................1

2 Overview.........................................................................................................................................3
3 Technical Description...................................................................................................................4
4 Engineering Guidelines...............................................................................................................6
5 Parameters.......................................................................................................................................7
6 Counters........................................................................................................................................10
7 Glossary.........................................................................................................................................11
8 Reference Documents.................................................................................................................12

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AQM Feature Parameter Description 1 About This Document

1 About This Document

1.1 Scope
This document describes active queue management (AQM) algorithm description in the AQM
feature.

1.2 Intended Audience

It is assumed that users of this document are familiar with GPRS basics and have a working
knowledge of GPRS telecommunication.

This document is intended for:

l Personnel working on Huawei GPRS products or systems

l System operators who need a general understanding of this feature

1.3 Change History

The change history provides information on the changes in different document versions.

There are two types of changes, which are defined as follows:

l Feature change
Feature change refers to the change in the AQM feature of a specific product version.
l Editorial change
Editorial change refers to the change in wording or the addition of the information that was
not described in the earlier version.

Document Issues
The document issue is as follows:

l 01 (2012-04-28)
l Draft A (2012-02-15)

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AQM Feature Parameter Description 1 About This Document

01 (2012-04-28)
This is the first release of GBSS14.0.
Compared with issue draft A (2012-02-15) of GBSS14.0, issue 01 (2012-04-28) of GBSS14.0
has no change.

Draft A (2012-02-15)
This is the draft release of GBSS14.0.
Compared with issue 01 (2011-03-31) of GBSS13.0, issue Draft A (2012-02-15) of GBSS14.0
has no change.

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AQM Feature Parameter Description 2 Overview

2 Overview

Active queue management (AQM) is an algorithm used to maintain the buffer queue length
within an appropriate range by discarding data packets in the buffer queue actively. It increases
data throughput and reduces service delay at the price of buffer utilization.
AQM applies to scenarios in which bandwidth is limited and congestion is likely to occur. AQM
not only ensures high link utilization but also reduces the delay of services that require low
transfer delay. It also enhances fair utilization of bandwidth among services and increases data
throughput.
Compared with the wired link bandwidth, the wireless link bandwidth is small. Therefore, the
wireless link bandwidth is a bottleneck for end-to-end data transfer. AQM can relieve network
congestion due to excessive TCP data streams. When network congestion occurs, AQM discards
data packets actively according to the packet discarding policy. After detecting packet loss, the
TCP receiver informs the TCP transmitter of the packet loss by using the retransmission
acknowledgement mechanism. Then, the TCP transmitter decreases the size of the transmit
window according to the congestion control mechanism, thus reducing the transmission rate and
relieving network congestion.
At present, most data services use the transmission control protocol (TCP) protocol. The TCP
protocol, however, has its limitations. When multiple TCP connections are set up at the same
time in the communications system, one TCP connection may occupy a high bandwidth, and
thus the transfer delay is long for other connections. For example, a user clicks a button on an
hyper text transfer protocol (HTTP) web page when file transfer protocol (FTP) downloading
is ongoing. In such a case, a long time elapses before the corresponding web page is displayed
because the link resource is occupied by the FTP service. If AQM is used, it discards packets of
services with excessive traffic flow actively and ensures high link utilization. This decreases the
data transmission rate and thus reduces the delay of services that require low transfer delay. This
also enhances fair utilization of bandwidth among services.
AQM is applicable to interactive services, background services, and best effort (BE)services
(namely, services without QoS requirements). It is not applicable to conversational services or
streaming services.

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AQM Feature Parameter Description 3 Technical Description

3 Technical Description

Parameters
Before AQM takes effect, you must configure related parameters. That is, you must
set AqmSwitch to Open to enable AQM. In addition, you must set the following parameters
related to AQM according to a specific application scenario:
l AQM Congestion Threshold
This parameter specifies the lower threshold at which the buffer queue is congested. If the
buffer queue length exceeds this threshold, packets are discarded actively.
l AQM Maximum Threshold
This parameter specifies the upper threshold at which the buffer queue is congested. If the
buffer queue length exceeds this threshold, a packet is discarded each time a packet arrives
at the queue.
l AQM Target Threshold
This parameter specifies the target threshold at which the buffer queue is congested. This
parameter is used to adjust the interval at which packets are discarded.
l Aqm Ninit
This parameter specifies the initial value of the interval (indicated by N) at which a packet
in the buffer queue is discarded. The value of N indicates the frequency at which packets
are discarded. If the value of N is large, the frequency of discarding packets is low and thus
a fewer number of packets are discarded over a certain period of time.
l AQM Packet Discard Interval Lower Threshold
This parameter specifies the lower threshold of the interval (indicated by N) at which a
packet in the buffer queue is discarded.
l AQM Packet Discard Interval Upper Threshold
This parameter specifies the upper threshold of the interval (indicated by N) at which a
packet in the buffer queue is discarded.
l Aqm M
This parameter specifies the frequency (indicated by M) of updating the value of N, that
is, how many packets are transmitted before the value of N is updated.

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AQM Feature Parameter Description 3 Technical Description

AQM Policy for Discarding Packets

AQM is implemented in the BSC. For interactive services, background services, or BE services,
AQM manages the buffer queue of downlink LLC PDUs of each MS.
The key to the AQM algorithm is the packet discarding policy, which varies according to the
AQM algorithm. The packet discarding policy of Huawei AQM algorithm is as follows:
l If the length of the buffer queue is smaller than AqmMinTh, no packet is discarded.
l If the length of the buffer queue is greater than AqmMinTh and smaller
than AqmMaxTh, a packet is discarded each time N packets arrive at the queue.
l If the length of the buffer queue is greater than AqmMaxTh, a packet is discarded each
time a packet arrives at the queue. The two methods of discarding packets are tail drop and
head drop. The AQM algorithm uses the head drop method.
Based on the relations among the length of the buffer queue, AqmMinTh, and AqmTarTh, the
AQM algorithm adjusts the interval at which packets are discarded. The AQM algorithm changes
the value of N based on the value of M. The algorithm of adjusting the value of N dynamically
is as follows:
l If the length of the buffer queue is greater than AqmTarTh and smaller
than AqmMaxTh, the value of N is decreased by one each time M packets arrive at the
queue. Thus, the number of packets that are discarded over a certain period of time
increases. When the value of N reaches AqmNLowerBound, it no longer decreases.
l If the length of the buffer queue is greater than AqmMinTh and smaller than AqmTarTh,
the value of N is increased by one each time M packets arrive at the queue. Thus, the number
of packets that are discarded over a certain period of time decreases. When the value of N
reaches AqmNUpBound, it no longer increases.

Technologies Related to AQM

l Methods of discarding packets
AQM supports two methods: head drop and tail drop. In the head drop method, packets at
the head of the buffer are discarded when necessary. In the tail drop method, new packets
are discarded when necessary. The response speed in the head drop method is faster than
that in the tail drop method. In addition, in the head drop method, packets are not
continuously discarded. Thus, Huawei AQM algorithm uses the head drop method.
l Service types supported by AQM
AQM is applicable to interactive services, background services, and BE services. It is not
applicable to conversational services or streaming services.
l Upper-layer protocols supported by AQM
The logical link control (LLC) layer provides services for the upper-layer sub-network
dependent convergence (SNDC), GPRS mobility management (GMM), short message
service (SMS), and tunnelling of messages (TOM) protocols. AQM manages only the LLC
PDU queues providing services for the SNDC protocol.

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AQM Feature Parameter Description 4 Engineering Guidelines

4 Engineering Guidelines

AQM is associated with flow control on the Gb interface. AQM and flow control on the Gb
interface can coexist but have an impact on each other. The impact between these two features
depends on the configuration policy of the operator. If AQM-related thresholds are low, flow
control on the Gb interface may be unable to take effect to a certain extent. If the operator
considers that flow control on the Gb interface has a higher priority than AQM, AQM-related
thresholds can be set to higher values. In this way, AQM takes effect only when severe network
congestion occurs.

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AQM Feature Parameter Description 5 Parameters

5 Parameters

Table 5-1 Parameter description

Parameter ID NE MML Feature ID Feature Name Description
Command

AqmMaxTh BSC6900 SET GBFD-119904 PS Active Meaning:Upper

BSCPSSOFTP Package length threshold
ARA Management of the TBF
buffer queue. If
the length of the
TBF buffer
queue exceeds
this threshold,
whether the
packets are
discarded is
determined
according to the
packet
discarding
policy.
GUI Value
Range:1~65535
Unit:bit
Actual Value
Range:1~65535
Default Value:
1024

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AQM Feature Parameter Description 5 Parameters

Parameter ID NE MML Feature ID Feature Name Description

Command

AqmMinTh BSC6900 SET GBFD-119904 PS Active Meaning:Conge

BSCPSSOFTP Package stion threshold
ARA Management of the TBF
buffer queue. If
the congestion
level in the TBF
buffer queue
exceeds this
threshold,
whether the
packets are
discarded
actively is
determined
according to the
packet
discarding
policy.
GUI Value
Range:1~65535
Unit:bit
Actual Value
Range:1~65535
Default Value:
256

AqmNLowerB BSC6900 SET GBFD-119904 PS Active Meaning:Lower

ound BSCPSSOFTP Package threshold of the
ARA Management interval for
discarding the
packets in the
TBF buffer
queue, that is,
the minimum
value of N
(packet drop
interval).
GUI Value
Range:1~65535
Unit:packet
Actual Value
Range:1~65535
Default Value:
10

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AQM Feature Parameter Description 5 Parameters

Parameter ID NE MML Feature ID Feature Name Description

Command

AqmNUpBoun BSC6900 SET GBFD-119904 PS Active Meaning:Upper

d BSCPSSOFTP Package threshold of the
ARA Management interval for
discarding the
packets in the
TBF buffer
queue, that is,
the maximum
value of N
(packet drop
interval).
GUI Value
Range:1~65535
Unit:packet
Actual Value
Range:1~65535
Default Value:
20

AqmSwitch BSC6900 SET GBFD-119904 PS Active Meaning:AQM

BSCPSSOFTP Package switch
ARA Management GUI Value
Range:CLOSE
(Close), OPEN
(Open)
Unit:None
Actual Value
Range:CLOSE,
OPEN
Default
Value:CLOSE
(Close)

AqmTarTh BSC6900 SET GBFD-119904 PS Active Meaning:Target

BSCPSSOFTP Package threshold of the
ARA Management TBF buffer
queue
GUI Value
Range:1~65535
Unit:bit
Actual Value
Range:1~65535
Default Value:
384

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AQM Feature Parameter Description 6 Counters

6 Counters

There are no specific counters associated with this feature.

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AQM Feature Parameter Description 7 Glossary

7 Glossary

For the acronyms, abbreviations, terms, and definitions, see the Glossary.

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AQM Feature Parameter Description 8 Reference Documents

8 Reference Documents

1. 3GPP TS 44.060 "Radio Link Control/Medium Access Control (RLC/MAC) protocol"

2. 3GPP TS 23.107 "Quality of Service (QoS) concept and architecture"
3. 3GPP TS 48.018 "BSS GPRS Protocol (BSSGP)"

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