Active queue management: First steps toward a new control-theoretic viewpoint

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new control-theoretic approach to Active Queue Management (AQM) using Model-Free Control and forecasting techniques, aiming to better handle uncertainties like round trip time and TCP session variations.

Contribution

It replaces traditional PID controllers with an intelligent proportional controller based on Model-Free Control and forecasting, offering a novel perspective on AQM.

Findings

Simulations show improved robustness to uncertainties.

The approach effectively manages congestion with constant delay assumptions.

Results suggest potential for enhanced Internet traffic control.

Abstract

Active Queue Management (AQM) for mitigating Internet congestion has been addressed via various feedback control syntheses, among which P, PI, and PID regulators are quite popular and often associated to a Smith predictor. Here, to better account for the many uncertainties, like the round trip time or the number of TCP sessions, the above controllers are replaced by an intelligent proportional controller associated to Model-Free Control (MFC) and by forecasting techniques derived from a new approach to time series. Several computer simulations via a well accepted linear modeling, where the delay is assumed to be constant, are presented and discussed.