Throughput analysis of IEEE 802.11e EDCA under heterogeneous traffic

The amended version of IEEE 802.11e defines the enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) for quality of service (QoS) connections. EDCA provides a priority scheme to classify different traffic categories by the arbitration inter-frame space (AIFS), and the initial and maximum contention window sizes. Most previous Markov chain analyses of EDCA have concentrated on the effect of contention window size, they neglected the effect of AIFS. In this paper, we consider of AIFS events among each back-off procedure and evaluate the saturation throughput of the IEEE 802.11e EDCA under heterogeneous traffic scenarios. The analytical model is based on the differentiated AIFS and uses the discrete time slot to analyses the external collision time. We take advantage of extensive simulation studies to validate the accuracy of the proposed model. Our models accurately estimate the effects of varied back-off window size and AIFS under heterogeneous traffic.     

Extended EDCA for delay guarantees in wireless local area networks

Despite their very broad diffusion, IEEE 802.11 Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) are not able to provide service differentiation and to support real-time multimedia applications, due to their channel access methods. To overcome these limitations, the 802.11e working group has proposed the Enhanced Distributed Coordination Access (EDCA) scheme, which achieves service differentiation on a statistical basis by properly mapping user Quality of Service (QoS) requirements to channel contention parameters. Such a scheme will be included in the emerging 802.11n standard and in the revision of the 802.11 standard. However, it has been widely demonstrated that, especially at high network loads, EDCA does not provide an effective usage of the channel capacity. In particular, it is unable to provide a bounded delay service to all kinds of multimedia flow because flows with lower channel access priorities are starved to advantage only those with the highest priority. To fix this undesired behavior and improve wireless LAN performance, this paper proposes a new Extended EDCA (E²DCA) scheme, that is compliant with 802.11e specifications. By exploiting a closed-loop control algorithm, E²DCA performs a distributed dynamic bandwidth allocation, providing guarantees on average/absolute delays to real-time media flows, regardless of their priorities. Moreover, an innovative Call Admission Control (CAC) procedure has been developed. Using the ns-2 simulator, the effectiveness of the algorithm has been investigated in realistic network scenarios, involving a mix of audio, video, and FTP flows, at several network loads and with random losses. Results have shown that the proposed scheme is able to provide a bounded delay service to multimedia flows in a wide range of network loads and frame loss ratios.     

On Sustained QoS Guarantees in Operated IEEE 802.11 Wireless LANs

Most of QoS-capable IEEE 802.11 MAC protocols are unable to deliver sustained quality of service while maintaining high network utilization, particularly under congested network conditions. The problem often resides in the fact that flows belonging to the same service class are assigned the same MAC parameters regardless theirs respective bitrate, which leads to throughput fairness rather than perceived QoS fairness. Harmonizing MAC parameters of traffic classes's flows may further lead to sub-optimal situations since certain network configurations (in terms of per class traffic load) can not be accommodated without reassigning the basic MAC parameters. In this paper, we propose a new cross-layer MAC design featuring a delay-sensitive backoff range adaptation along with a distributed flow admission control. By monitoring both MAC queue dynamics and network conditions, each traffic class reacts based on the degree to which application QoS metrics (delay) are satisfied. Besides, we use a distributed admission control mechanism to accept new flows while protecting the active one. Simulation results show that compared to the enhanced distributed coordination function (EDCA) scheme of 802.11e, our protocol consistently excels, in terms of network utilization, bounded delays, and service-level fairness.     

QoS 区分的自适应p-Persistent MAC 算法对信道利用率的动态优化

在无线局域网中提供服务质量(QoS)保证的MAC 算法应该满足业务区分服务的要求和系统性能的整体最优.以往的此类自适应MAC 算法依赖于对不同级别的竞争业务数目进行估计,计算过于复杂.提出一种基于QoS区分的自适应p-persistent MAC 算法,QDA-MAC(QoS differentiation based adaptive MAC scheme).该算法引入了新的参数-坚持因子(persistent factor),其优化值能够实时反映网络负载的变化情况,结合近似优化的自适应方法,每次发送尝试后,该算法不需要估计每类竞争业务的数目,利用坚持因子的优化值实时更新各类优先级业务的发送概率,调整相应的协议参数,系统的性能也能接近最优.仿真结果验证了该算法不仅能够根据竞争业务数目的变化对系统的性能进行整体优化,而且能够提供业务区分服务,在QoS区分的基础上可以为实时业务提供严格的QoS保证,尤其在信道利用率和时延等方面明显优于标准的IEEE 802.11 DCF 和IEEE 802.11e EDCA 机制.     

支持QoS的IEEE 802.11 EDCA性能研究

随着无线网络应用的不断发展,为了适应网络中不同类型业务的区分服务需要,IEEE 802.11工作组在IEEE 802.11 DCF(distributed coordination function)的基础上推出了支持QoS的IEEE 802.11 EDCA协议.针对EDCA(enhanced distributed channel access)协议的优先级区分信道接入特性,提出了一种基于Markov链的协议性能模型分析方法.与已有文献不同,该模型分析同时包含了EDCA主要的3个关键区分信道接入机制:Wmin/Wmax,AIFS(arbitration inter-frame space),TXOP(transmission opportunity).通过模型分析,获得了EDCA协议各优先级接入的传输吞吐量、信道接入延迟、数据丢失率等性能分析.不仅分析了饱和情形下的EDCA性能,而且还对非饱和情形下的EDCA性能进行了分析.仿真验证结果表明,模型分析结果和仿真结果取得了很好的一致性.利用给出的模型分析方法,提出了一种基于TXOP动态调整的D-TXOP(dynamic TXOP)接纳控制算法.算法根据网络中业务流的QoS要求,在动态调整各优先级的TXOP参数设置的基础上,对网络中新到业务流进行接纳控制,达到提高网络的业务承载能力的目的.     

IEEE 802.11e EDCA在Ad Hoc网络中应用仿真分析

IEEE 802.11e EDCA协议通过采用MAC层业务区分的方式,提供网络的QoS支持.分析并比较了802.11e EDCA对802.11 DCF的改进,并通过NS2仿真分析EDCA在Ad Hoc网络中的应用情况,进一步讨论并仿真实现了对EDCA协议参数的分析.仿真结果表明,EDCA在多跳Ad Hoc网络中仍保持了其有效性,实现业务区分并提高了网络的吞吐量等性能,同时协议参数的不同将极大的影响系统性能,通过优化设置参数可以进一步提高系统性能.     

WLAN中基于EDCA机制的接纳控制研究

分析IEEE802.11e的服务质量（QoS）调度机制和EDCA访问机制,基于保证通信服务质量、改良EDCA参数,适合分布式的ad hoc网络的运用,提出了一种接纳控制方案和EDCA参数调节改良机制,有效提高了媒体接入控制。     

Saturated throughput analysis of IEEE 802.11e EDCA

IEEE 802.11e standard has been published to introduce quality of service (QoS) support to the conventional IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN). Enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) is used as the fundamental access mechanism for the medium access control (MAC) layer in IEEE 802.11e. In this paper, a novel Markov chain based model with a simple architecture for EDCA performance analysis under the saturated traffic load is proposed. Compared with the existing analytical models of EDCA, the proposed model incorporates more features of EDCA into the analysis. Firstly, we analyze the effect of using different arbitration interframe spaces (AIFSs) on the performance of EDCA. That is, the time interval from the end of the busy channel can be classified into different contention zones based on the different AIFSs used by different sets of stations, and these different sets of stations may have different transmission probabilities in the same contention zone. Secondly, we analyze the possibility that a station’s backoff procedure may be suspended due to transmission from other stations. We consider that the contention zone specific transmission probability caused by the use of different AIFSs can affect the occurrence and the duration of the backoff suspension procedure. Based on the proposed model, saturated throughput of EDCA is analyzed. Simulation study is performed, which demonstrates that the proposed model has better accuracy than those in the literature.     

Admission control scheme based on priority access for wireless LANs

In order to support the quality of service (QoS) requirements at the medium access control (MAC) layer, the enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) has been developed in IEEE 802.11e standard. However, it cannot guarantee the stringent real-time constraints of multimedia applications such as voice and video without an efficient method of controlling network loads. In this paper, we propose a measurement-based admission control scheme, which is made up of two parts: priority access and admission control. First, in order to measure the channel status per traffic type, we propose a priority access mechanism in which each priority traffic is distinguished by a busy tone, and separately performs its own packet transmission operation. Then, admission control mechanism protects existing flows from new ones, and maintains the QoS of the admitted flows based on the measured channel status information. Performance of the proposed scheme is evaluated by simulation. Our results show that the proposed scheme is very effective in guaranteeing the QoS of multimedia applications as well as in avoiding the performance starvation of low priority traffics.     

基于IEEE802.11e EDCA的接纳控制方案

随着无线局域网的快速发展,人们对服务质量提出了迫切的要求,IEEE 802．11e协议应运而生,为QoS的实施提供了参考标准。EDCA是802．11e中实现QoS的分布式机制,本文基于EDCA,提出了一整套接纳控制方案和EDCA参数调节机制。本方案QoS参数考虑全面,实现简单,而且能够运用在全分布的ad hoc网络中。     

Performance analysis of a threshold-based dynamic TXOP scheme for intra-AC QoS in wireless LANs

The IEEE 802.11e Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) protocol has been proposed for provisioning of differentiated Quality-of-Service (QoS) between various Access Categories (ACs), i.e., inter-AC QoS, in Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). However, the EDCA lacks the support of the intra-AC QoS provisioning, which is indispensable in practical WLANs since the network loads are always asymmetric between traffic flows of ACs with the same priority. To address the intra-AC QoS issue, this paper proposes a Threshold-Based Dynamic Transmission Opportunity (TBD-TXOP) scheme which sets the TXOP limits adaptive to the current status of the transmission queue based on the pre-setting threshold. An analytical model is further developed to evaluate the QoS performance of this scheme in terms of throughput, end-to-end delay, and frame loss probability. NS-2 simulation experiments validate the accuracy of the proposed analytical model. The performance results demonstrate the efficacy of TBD-TXOP for the intra-AC QoS differentiation.     

An analytic study of tuning systems parameters in IEEE 802.11e enhanced distributed channel access

In this paper, we derive, based on the analytical model developed by Cali et al., a multi-class model to study how to adaptively tune parameters in IEEE 802.11e EDCA and support service differentiation in WLANs. Through analytical modeling, we demonstrate that by assigning appropriate different attempt probabilities (or contention window sizes) to stations of different classes, it is feasible to provide (proportional) service differentiation and achieve pre-specified targeted throughput ratios among different classes, while at the same time, maximizing the total system capacity. We also extend the derived theoretical model to analyze the role of AIFS and TXOP values on service differentiation perceived by different traffic classes. We show that, to achieve QoS guarantees (i.e., throughput differentiation) and high channel utilization, it may not be desirable to allow tuning of multiple parameters (e.g., both the contention window sizes and the AIFS values). Instead, the design dimension should be kept small by turning only one set of parameters, while keeping the other two sets of parameters for all the access categories fixed (i.e., setting the AIFS values of all access categories to 2, which is equivalent to AIFS = DIFS).We also elaborate on how to incorporate our derived theoretical results into IEEE 802.11e. These include (i) how to reduce the computational complexity and practically calculate results on-line, (ii) how to convert the optimal parameters derived in the model that characterizes the p-persistent version of IEEE 802.11e to those in IEEE 802.11e (which is based on the notion of the contention window to determine whether or not to transmit in a slot), and (iii) how to on-line measure parameters needed for calculating the best value of the contention window size. Both the analytical models and the proposed approaches for practically incorporating theoretical findings into IEEE 802.11e EDCA are validated through detailed ns-2 simulations and empirical experimentation on a Linux-based MADWifi driver for wireless LAN devices with the Atheros chipset.     

Priorities in WLANs

The IETF is currently working on service differentiation in the Internet. However, in wireless environments where bandwidth is scarce and channel conditions are variable, IP differentiated services are sub-optimal without lower layers’ support.In this paper we present four service differentiation schemes for IEEE 802.11. The first one is based on scaling the contention window according to the priority of each flow or user. For different users with different priorities, the second, the third and the fourth mechanisms assign different minimum contention widow values, different interframe spacings and different maximum frame lengths respectively.We simulate and analyze the performance of each scheme with Transport Control Protocol and User Datagram Protocol flows.     

A simple recursive scheme for adjusting the contention window size in IEEE 802.11e wireless ad hoc networks

The IEEE 802.11e standard has been introduced recently for providing Quality of Service (QoS) capabilities in the emerging wireless local area networks. This standard introduces a contention window based Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) technique that provides a prioritized traffic to guarantee the minimum bandwidth needed for time critical applications. However, the EDCA technique resets the Contention Window (CW) of the mobile station statically after each successful transmission. This static behavior does not adapt to the network state since it reduces the network usage and results in bad performance and poor link utilization whenever the demand for link utilization increases. This paper proposes a new adaptive differentiation technique for IEEE 802.11e Wireless Local Area Networks that takes into account the network state before resetting the contention window. In the new technique, the congestion level of the network is sensed by using previous CW values. Three other enhancement techniques that focus on network adaptation are also discussed. Their main limitations are the high complexity of the implemented algorithms and their slow adaptation to the network state when the channel experiences bursty traffic. The proposed technique is compared to the original differentiation techniques of IEEE 802.11a and IEEE 802.11e standards, as well as to the enhancement schemes. Results show that the proposed adaptive technique outperforms IEEE 802.11e and is comparable to the other enhancement schemes while maintaining relatively low complexity requirements.     

IEEE 802.11e EDCA机制的一种参数调节策略

研究了IEEE 802.11e EDCA机制的原理和无线信道利用模型,阐明了EDCA参数设置对其性能的重要性。在此基础上,提出了一种简单有效的参数调节策略。仿真结果表明,该参数调节机制在保证实时业务要求的同时,可以显著提高数据流的吞吐率,优化了EDCA机制的运行性能。     

A cross-layer TCP enhancement in QoS-aware mobile ad hoc networks

With the increase of multimedia traffic over the Internet, current network protocols are largely concerned with the QoS requirements of delay-sensitive applications. In Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (MANETs), the majority of protocols developed to date provide QoS mechanisms by assigning high priority to delay-sensitive applications. While today’s Internet traffic is still dominated by TCP-based applications, the negative effects of the IEEE 802.11e service differentiation scheme on TCP performance in the presence of high priority traffic have not been adequately addressed in the literature. In this paper we first evaluate the performance of TCP in 802.11e MANETs when competing with high priority VoIP traffic. We then propose a novel TCP-friendly scheme, called IEDCA, to improve IEEE 802.11e EDCA mechanism. Our simulation-based performance study demonstrates that our proposed scheme IEDCA not only improves the performance of TCP significantly, it also facilitates the voice traffic transmission.     

基于节点区分的IEEE802.11e无线局域网中的VoIP容量分析与优化

基于因特网协议的语音(VoIP)是无线局域网(WLAN)的一个具有广阔前景的应用,但VoIP容量在WLAN中却受到了较大的限制.为了增强对VoIP等实时业务的支持,IEEE 802.11e EDCA协议提供了竞争窗口(CW)、仲裁帧间间隔(AIFS)和传输机会(TXOP)3个参数来实现对业务流的区分,但没有考虑如何优化这些参数以达到对WLAN中的接入点和终端节点进行区分服务,而WLAN中的接入点却恰恰是制约其VoIP容量的一个重要因素.提出了一个语音容量分析模型,引入了协议的3个参数以区分接入点和终端节点,并考虑到语音流的ON-OFF模型和语音流的上行与下行时延约束.基于给出的分析模型,分别进行了单参数独立区分与多参数联合区分优化分析,在不同的语音编码与语音间隔情况下,定量地给出了利用CW,AIFS和TXOP进行独立区分时和联合区分时的优化值,从而达到提高VoIP容量的目的.仿真结果表明,利用这些参数的优化值为接入点和终端节点提供区分服务是正确的和有效的.     

IEEE802.11e无线局域网中的接入延迟分析模型

IEEE802.11e标准为各个服务类别制定了不同的信道竞争参数数值,使得无线局域网具备了业务区分能力。标准中所提出的增强型分布式接入方式主要包括虚拟碰撞、节点回退、最小竞争窗口以及仲裁帧间隔等机制。本文建立三维离散马尔可夫模型分析队列在接入过程中的竞争行为,进而准确估计各个队列的接入延迟。仿真结果表明,该模型能够准确地描述资源竞争情况,接入延迟计算法方法可根据不同系统参数精确地计算接入延迟性能。     

WLAN中基于混合模式的接纳控制算法

针对WLAN标准IEEE 802.11e中 EDCA不能提供定量的服务质量(QoS)的问题,提出了一种混合模式(基于模型和测量)的接纳控制算法。通过建立退避实例的各个状态转移的Markov模型,利用贝塞尔削减规则得出网络性能指标的解析表达式,并根据测量的信道的实时状况预测新业务流可获得的吞吐量,最后提出了一种基于吞吐量的接纳控制算法。实验结果表明,该算法保证了已经接入业务流的服务质量,同时接纳了更多的新业务流,提高了网络的吞吐量。     

IEEE 802.11 EDCA带宽分配控制的竞争窗口优化

Two approximate computation methods were proposed to acquire the optimal transmitting probability and further to find the optimal contention window setting by analyzing the influence of the priority-based service differentiation of IEEE 802.11 Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) on throughput. The optimal contention window setting can help yield the maximum aggregate throughput while maintaining the weighted proportional bandwidth differentiation among different traffic classes. Through validation by numeric evaluation and simulation, the results are proved to be very close to the theoretical value, and the optimal contention window setting can effectively optimize the throughput performance of the whole network.