Network congestion control using NetFlow

TL;DR

This paper explores using Cisco's NetFlow technology to monitor network traffic, detect congestion, and identify overloaded network elements and flows, enhancing congestion control strategies.

Contribution

It introduces a method for utilizing NetFlow data to identify network congestion and overloaded elements, demonstrating its application for congestion management.

Findings

NetFlow can effectively detect network congestion.

The system identifies overloaded network elements.

Flow analysis helps in congestion mitigation.

Abstract

The goal of congestion control is to avoid congestion in network elements. A network element is congested if it is being offered more traffic than it can process. To detect such situations and to neutralize them we should monitor traffic in the network. In this paper, we propose using Cisco's NetFlow technology, which allows collecting statistics about traffic in the network by generating special NetFlow packets. Cisco's routers can send NetFlow packets to a special node, so we can collect these packets, analyze its content and detect network congestion. We use Cisco's feature as example, some other vendors (Juniper, 3COM, Alcatel, etc.) provide similar features for their routers. We also consider a simple system, which collects statistical information about network elements, determines overloaded elements and identifies flows, which congest them.