It is due to Traffic shaping algorithms: Leaky Bucket & Token Bucket implementation.
Two predominant methods for shaping traffic exist: a leaky bucket implementation and a token bucket implementation. Sometimes the leaky bucket and token bucket algorithms are mistakenly lumped together under the same name. Both these schemes have distinctly different properties and are used for distinctly different purposes [1]. They differ principally in that the leaky bucket imposes a hard limit on the data transmission rate, whereas the token bucket allows a certain amount of burstiness while imposing a limit on the average data transmission rate.
The token bucket is a control mechanism that dictates when traffic can be transmitted, based on the presence of tokens in the bucket. The token bucket contains tokens, each of which can represent a unit of bytes. The network administrator specifies how many tokens are needed to transmit however many number of bytes; when tokens are present, a flow is allowed to transmit traffic. If there are no tokens in the bucket, a flow cannot transmit its packets. Therefore, a flow can transmit traffic up to its peak burst rate if there are adequate tokens in the bucket and if the burst threshold is configured appropriately.
Further information is found here: Traffic shaping
*This FAQ is based on user knowledge from a volunteer core of BroadbandReports' members. This FAQ in no way constitutes official information from Comcast or any of its affiliates.
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by sortofageek  edited by Johkal
last modified: 2008-11-01 14:39:02 |
