Robust stability analysis of Smith predictor-based congestion control algorithms for computer networks

Congestion control is a fundamental building block in packet switching networks such as the Internet due to the fact that communication resources are shared. It has been shown that the plant dynamics is essentially made up of an integrator plus time delay and that a proportional controller plus a Smith predictor defines a simple and effective controller. It has also been shown that the TCP congestion control can be modelled using a Smith predictor plus a proportional controller. Due to the importance of this control structure in the field of data network congestion control, we analyse the robust stability of the closed-loop system in the face of delay uncertainties that are present in data networks due to queuing. In particular, by applying a geometric approach, we derive a bound on the proportional controller gain which is necessary and sufficient to guarantee the closed-loop stability for a given bound on the delay uncertainty.     

Adaptive active queue management controller for TCP communication networks using PSO-RBF models

Addressing performance degradations in end-to-end congestion control has been one of the most active research areas in the last decade. Active queue management (AQM) is a promising technique to congestion control for reducing packet loss and improving network utilization in transmission control protocol (TCP)/Internet protocol (IP) networks. AQM policies are those policies of router queue management that allow for the detection of network congestion, the notification of such occurrences to the hosts, and the adoption of a suitable control policy. Radial bias function (RBF)-based AQM controller is proposed in this paper. RBF as a nonlinear controller is suitable as an AQM scheme to control congestion in TCP communication networks since it has nonlinear behavior. Particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is also employed to derive RBF output weights such that the integrated-absolute error is minimized. Furthermore, in order to improve the robustness of RBF controller, an error-integral term is added to RBF equation. The output weights and the coefficient of the integral error term in the latter controller are also optimized by PSO algorithm. It should be noted that in both proposed controllers the parameters of radial basis functions are selected to symmetrically partition the input space. The results of the comparison with adaptive random early detection (ARED), random exponential marking (REM), and proportional-integral (PI) controllers are presented. Integral-RBF has better performance not only in comparison with RBF but also with ARED, REM and PI controllers in the case of link utilization while packet loss rate is small.     

预测PI时滞网络拥塞控制算法设计及性能分析

针对网络中存在的大时滞给主动队列管理算法性能带来的不利影响,将Sm ith预估器与Dahlin算法相结合,提出了一种预测PI拥塞控制算法,首先利用Sm ith预估器补偿时延滞后,克服了大时滞给系统性能带来的影响;然后按Dahlin算法设计控制器,把控制器参数和预估对象模型参数相结合,既减少了整定参数,也避免了参数整定时的相互影响.同时,利用经典控制理论方法分析了系统稳定性和存在链路容量干扰时瓶颈队列的暂态、稳态特性.仿真结果显示预测PI算法控制性能优于RED,PI算法及具有较强的鲁棒性.     

基于预测的时滞系统拥塞控制算法

为了克服TCP/AQM控制系统中时滞环节带来的不利影响,将Smith预估器与Dahlin算法相结合,提出了一种新的AQM机制——PPI算法,该算法能消除时滞环节对系统性能的影响,并减少整定参数的数量,通过仿真结果显示出PPI控制器能有效避免网络拥塞,提高系统的稳定性,并在系统变化时具有较好的鲁棒性。     

A robust fractional-order PID controller design based on active queue management for TCP network

In this paper, a robust fractional-order controller is designed to control the congestion in transmission control protocol (TCP) networks with time-varying parameters. Fractional controllers can increase the stability and robustness. Regardless of advantages of fractional controllers, they are still not common in congestion control in TCP networks. The network parameters are time-varying, so the robust stability is important in congestion controller design. Therefore, we focused on the robust controller design. The fractional PID controller is developed based on active queue management (AQM). D-partition technique is used. The most important property of designed controller is the robustness to the time-varying parameters of the TCP network. The vertex quasi-polynomials of the closed-loop characteristic equation are obtained, and the stability boundaries are calculated for each vertex quasi-polynomial. The intersection of all stability regions is insensitive to network parameter variations, and results in robust stability of TCP/AQM system. NS-2 simulations show that the proposed algorithm provides a stable queue length. Moreover, simulations show smaller oscillations of the queue length and less packet drop probability for FPID compared to PI and PID controllers. We can conclude from NS-2 simulations that the average packet loss probability variations are negligible when the network parameters change.     

Congestion control in high-speed communication networks using the Smith principle

High-speed communication networks are characterized by large bandwidth-delay products. This may have an adverse impact on the stability of closed-loop congestion control algorithms. In this paper, classical control theory and Smith’s principle are proposed as key tools for designing an effective and simple congestion control law for high-speed data networks. Mathematical analysis shows that the proposed control law guarantees stability of network queues and full utilization of network links in a general network topology and traffic scenario during both transient and steady-state condition. In particular, no data loss is guaranteed using buffers with any capacity, whereas full utilization of links is ensured using buffers with capacity at least equal to the bandwidth-delay product. The control law is transformed to a discrete-time form and is applied to ATM networks. Moreover a comparison with the ERICA algorithm is carried out. Finally, the control law is transformed to a window form and is applied to Internet. The resulting control law surprisingly reveals that today's Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol implements a Smith predictor for congestion control. This provides a theoretical insight into the congestion control mechanism of TCP/IP along with a method to modify and improve this mechanism in a way that is backward compatible.     

Tuning algorithms for fractional order internal model controllers for time delay processes

This paper presents two tuning algorithms for fractional-order internal model control (IMC) controllers for time delay processes. The two tuning algorithms are based on two specific closed-loop control configurations: the IMC control structure and the Smith predictor structure. In the latter, the equivalency between IMC and Smith predictor control structures is used to tune a fractional-order IMC controller as the primary controller of the Smith predictor structure. Fractional-order IMC controllers are designed in both cases in order to enhance the closed-loop performance and robustness of classical integer order IMC controllers. The tuning procedures are exemplified for both single-input-single-output as well as multivariable processes, described by first-order and second-order transfer functions with time delays. Different numerical examples are provided, including a general multivariable time delay process. Integer order IMC controllers are designed in each case, as well as fractional-order IMC controllers. The simulation results show that the proposed fractional-order IMC controller ensures an increased robustness to modelling uncertainties. Experimental results are also provided, for the design of a multivariable fractional-order IMC controller in a Smith predictor structure for a quadruple-tank system.     

Comparison of PI controllers designed for the delay model of TCP/AQM networks

One of the major problems of communication networks is congestion. In order to address this problem in TCP/IP networks, Active Queue Management (AQM) scheme is recommended. AQM aims to minimize the congestion by regulating the average queue size at the routers. To improve upon AQM, recently, several feedback control approaches were proposed. Among these approaches, PI controllers are gaining attention because of their simplicity and ease of implementation. In this paper, by utilizing the fluid-flow model of TCP networks, we study the PI controllers designed for TCP/AQM. We compare these controllers by first analyzing their robustness and fragility. Then, we implement these controllers in ns-2 platform and conduct simulation experiments to compare their performances in terms of queue length. Taken together, our results provide a guideline for choosing a PI controller for AQM given specific performance requirements.     

XCP与TCP的拥塞控制算法比较分析

互联网用户数量激增,使得网络的拥塞问题变得越来越严重,拥塞控制是确保Internet鲁棒性的关键因素,因此拥塞控制问题成为目前关于Internet研究的难点问题.分析了传统的TCP拥塞控制算法存在一些不足,并对比分析了一种新的XCP拥塞控制算法.试验结果表明,XCP协议算法具有链路利用效率高、公平性好、可扩展性强、排队时延小的优点,并且路由器的开销也非常小.     

一种基于Smith预估器的主动队列管理(AQM)拥塞控制算法

有效的拥塞控制机制是保证Internet稳定运行的关键因素之一,网络拥塞控制系统本质上是一个时滞系统,传输时延是网络拥塞控制必须考虑的一个重要因素.本文应用Smith预估控制原理,在进行适当模型拟合处理的基础上,提出了一种基于Smith预估器的主动队列管理(AQM)算法(AQMAlgorithmbasedonsmithpredictor算法,简称Smith-PI),新算法结构简单,易于配置,具有良好的鲁棒性和网络控制性能,同时克服了大时滞给队列稳定性造成的不利影响。通过仿真表明,采用Smith-PI算法,对于限制系统振荡超调量的作用非常明显,同时能使网络具有更快的响应速度及更平稳的队列,而当网络时延增大时,算法能使网络的动态性能依然保持良好,使得缓存队列迅速收敛到稳定值。     

基于差分服务的贪婪流问题解决算法

贪婪流问题是网络拥塞控制范畴的问题，泛指不遵从标准TCP拥塞控制机制的流。贪婪流给网络带来不公平性。提出了一种新的甄别算法，通过对目标流发送窗口随分组丢弃变化关系的分析，对不合规范的流进行检测。算法采用定长列表结构，具有实现简单、扩展性强的特点，提出了一种基于差分服务模式的体系结构，对传统Internet服务哲学进行了扩展，从根本上支持新型流式应用，实现了端到端的流量监管功能。     

一种基于ABR业务的自适应流量控制策略

本文针对ATM网络中的ABR业务，设计了一种自适应比例微分（PD）拥塞控制器。该算法实现简单，适合计算机控制系统实现，在大时延ATM网络中具有实际应用价值。     

Delay-based TCP congestion avoidance: A network calculus interpretation and performance improvements

In delay-based TCP congestion avoidance mechanisms, a source adjusts its window size to adapt to changes in network conditions as measured through changing queueing delays. Although network calculus (NC) has been used to study window flow control and determine performance bounds, there is a lack of a bridge between NC theory and the practical issues of delay-based TCP congestion avoidance. In this paper, we use an NC-based approach to derive ideal congestion controllers for representative delay-based window flow control models with time-variant feedback delays. We show that the basic delay-based TCP congestion avoidance mechanisms in TCP Vegas, Enhanced TCP Vegas, and FAST TCP can be viewed as different approaches to approximating a certain NC controller. Moreover, we derive another NC controller that is explicitly constructed to address the throughput degradation of the current delay-based methods due to delayed acknowledgement (ACK) packets caused by network traffic in the reverse path (ACK packet) direction. The approximation of this F-model NC-based controller is shown to provide better throughput and fairness over the existing delay-based methods for a variety of network topologies in ns-2 simulations.     

Internet拥塞控制及其稳定性分析

随着网络时代的到来,各种资源的传输大量地依赖于网络,造成了网络拥塞日益严重,如何解决拥塞,高效且充分地利用网络资源,成为目前急需解决的问题。研究了TCP拥塞控制算法中的一些问题。重点对TCP协议中拥塞控制算法的策略方案进行了分析和比较。     

基于延迟抖动分析的TCP友好拥塞控制算法

基于因特网的以UDP为传输协议的实时多媒体数据传输需要在保证实时性和可靠性的基础上,能够与因特网其他服务所使用的TCP协议公平共享有限的带宽。本文采用基于实时传输协议（RTP）和实时传输控制协议（RTCP）的反馈拥塞控制算法,提出一种简单的拥塞控制机制,使UDP数据流能与TCP数据流和平共处;研究了基于速率控制的TCP友好拥塞控制策略-TFRC,分析了其基本机制和关键问题;提出利用延迟抖动作为潜在拥塞信号来改进TFRC的速率控制机制,以适应实时业务低抖动的要求,并通过NS仿真验证了改进的TFRC算法对实时业务的良好性能。     

Smith predictor in digital feedback control systems

This paper continues the issue of improving automatic feedback control systems as one of the most important complexes in automated industrial process control systems (AIPCS). It is experimentally verified that Smith predictor represents an efficient tool to improve performance of delayed objects and high-order objects. Principles of operation and adjustment are described for the controller operating on the basis of the predictor. Digital controllers are demonstrated well-adapted for embedding the option of Smith predictor. Experimentally tested versions of the predictor’s program realization are suggested for the programmable controllers and PID controllers of industrial application.     

TCP is Competitive with Resource Augmentation

The well-known Transport Control Protocol (TCP) is a crucial component of the TCP/IP architecture on which the Internet is built, and is a de facto standard for reliable communication on the Internet. At the heart of the TCP protocol is its congestion control algorithm. While most practitioners believe that the TCP congestion control algorithm performs very well, a complete analysis of the congestion control algorithm is yet to be done. A lot of effort has, therefore, gone into the evaluation of different performance metrics like throughput and average latency under TCP. In this paper, we approach the problem from a different perspective and use the competitive analysis framework to provide some answers to the question “how good is the TCP/IP congestion control algorithm?” We describe how the TCP congestion control algorithm can be viewed as an online, distributed scheduling algorithm. We observe that existing lower bounds for non-clairvoyant scheduling algorithms imply that no online, distributed, non-clairvoyant algorithm can be competitive with an optimal offline algorithm if both algorithms were given the same resources. Therefore, in order to evaluate TCP using competitive analysis, we must limit the power of the adversary, or equivalently, allow TCP to have extra resources compared to an optimal, offline algorithm for the same problem. In this paper, we show that TCP is competitive to an optimal, offline algorithm provided the former is given more resources. Specifically, we prove first that for networks with a single bottleneck (or point of congestion), TCP is ${\mathcal{O}}(1)The well-known Transport Control Protocol (TCP) is a crucial component of the TCP/IP architecture on which the Internet is built, and is a de facto standard for reliable communication on the Internet. At the heart of the TCP protocol is its congestion control algorithm. While most practitioners believe that the TCP congestion control algorithm performs very well, a complete analysis of the congestion control algorithm is yet to be done. A lot of effort has, therefore, gone into the evaluation of different performance metrics like throughput and average latency under TCP. In this paper, we approach the problem from a different perspective and use the competitive analysis framework to provide some answers to the question “how good is the TCP/IP congestion control algorithm?” We describe how the TCP congestion control algorithm can be viewed as an online, distributed scheduling algorithm. We observe that existing lower bounds for non-clairvoyant scheduling algorithms imply that no online, distributed, non-clairvoyant algorithm can be competitive with an optimal offline algorithm if both algorithms were given the same resources. Therefore, in order to evaluate TCP using competitive analysis, we must limit the power of the adversary, or equivalently, allow TCP to have extra resources compared to an optimal, offline algorithm for the same problem. In this paper, we show that TCP is competitive to an optimal, offline algorithm provided the former is given more resources. Specifically, we prove first that for networks with a single bottleneck (or point of congestion), TCP is O(1){\mathcal{O}}(1)-competitive to an optimal centralized (global) algorithm in minimizing the user-perceived latency or flow time of the sessions, provided we allow TCP O(1){\mathcal{O}}(1) times as much bandwidth and O(1){\mathcal{O}}(1) extra time per session. Second, we show that TCP is fair by proving that the bandwidths allocated to sessions quickly converge to fair sharing of network bandwidth.     

TCP及TCP-friendly拥塞控制策略讨论

自从20世纪80年代报道了第一次拥塞崩溃以来，TCP拥塞控制策略在不断地进行完善和改进，通过快速重传和快速恢复等机制使它能很好地对网络拥塞做出及时的响应。但是随着网络技术的发展，音频和视频等多媒体业务(如IP Phone、视频会议)在网上的应用越来越多，而这些应用采用的一般都是不提供拥塞控制的协议(如UDP)，因此如何对这些业务流进行拥塞控制，使它们能与TCP流一起公平地共享网络带宽，满足TCP-friendly要求变得越来越重要。该文先对TCP拥塞控制进行讨论，然后对TCP-friendly拥塞控制策略和以后的研究方向进行了讨论。     

TCP友好拥塞／速率控制算法及其在多媒体数据传输中的应用

基于Intenret的以UDP为传输协议的实时多媒体数据传输,需要在保证 实时性和可靠性基础上,能够与Internet其它服务所使用的TCP协议共享有限的带宽,基于这种需要,该文在研究了多种拥塞控制算法的基础上,提出了一种简单实用的TCP友好拥塞／速率控制算法,并将该算法应用在一个实用的Internet IP电话软FreePhone中,通过试验证明,该方法实用有效,并取得了预期的效果。     

Smith predictor based robust fractional order control: Application to water distribution in a main irrigation canal pool

This paper proposes a new methodology to design fractional integral controllers combined with Smith predictors, which are robust to high frequency model changes. In particular, special attention is paid to time delay changes. These controllers show also less sensitivity to high frequency measurement noise and disturbances than PI or PID controllers. This methodology is applied to design controllers for water distribution in a main irrigation canal pool. Simulated results of standard PI and PID controllers plus a Smith predictor, and the controller developed in this paper are compared when applied to the dynamical model of a real main irrigation canal pool showing that our controller exhibits better and more robust features than these. Moreover our controller is compared with other more complex control techniques as predictive control and robust H_∞ controllers, exhibiting better or similar performances than these.