Brian J. Murrell wrote:

>What I don't understand is why I have to specify an upstream bandwidth in the
>tcinterfaces.  I guess I had always thought that Shorewall's Simple TC was
>simply prioritization, not bandwidth allocation.  I would have 
>thought TC didn't need to know the upstream bandwidth to simply 
>prioritize the de-queuing of packets in the higher bands.

That could be the case if the only constraint was your local link - 
but it isn't in all cases.

Case 1)
At work we get an internet connection via fibre, nice 20Mbps 
uncontended, unmetered, unfiltered connection - at an eye watering 
price ! The bandwidth management is handled by a Cisco router 
somewhere upstream of us - there is at least one switch between us 
and the router.

If we send at more than our permitted rate then initially we get to 
burst above it, but then it drops back. Latency rockets because the 
router has it's own buffers that we're filling up. So even though we 
prioritise our traffic, if we don't keep the overall rate below the 
level at which queues build up in the ISP router then it won't work.

Case 2)
Assume you have a PPP0E connection to the ISP - so there is no 
intervening router between you and the DSL line that restricts 
upstream bandwidth. Even though we may prioritise packets in the 
packet routing layer, I wouldn't be surprised to find a queue in the 
PPP layer and then in the hardware/driver layer. So even though 
everything is notionally under your control, there are still elements 
that will trip you up.
-- 
Simon Hobson

Visit http://www.magpiesnestpublishing.co.uk/ for books by acclaimed
author Gladys Hobson. Novels - poetry - short stories - ideal as
Christmas stocking fillers. Some available as e-books.

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