RFC 3272 (rfc3272) - Page 1 of 71


Overview and Principles of Internet Traffic Engineering



Alternative Format: Original Text Document



Network Working Group                                         D. Awduche
Request for Comments: 3272                                Movaz Networks
Category: Informational                                          A. Chiu
                                                         Celion Networks
                                                              A. Elwalid
                                                              I. Widjaja
                                                     Lucent Technologies
                                                                 X. Xiao
                                                        Redback Networks
                                                                May 2002


        Overview and Principles of Internet Traffic Engineering

Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
   not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of this
   memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2002).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   This memo describes the principles of Traffic Engineering (TE) in the
   Internet.  The document is intended to promote better understanding
   of the issues surrounding traffic engineering in IP networks, and to
   provide a common basis for the development of traffic engineering
   capabilities for the Internet.  The principles, architectures, and
   methodologies for performance evaluation and performance optimization
   of operational IP networks are discussed throughout this document.

Table of Contents

   1.0 Introduction...................................................3
      1.1 What is Internet Traffic Engineering?.......................4
      1.2 Scope.......................................................7
      1.3 Terminology.................................................8
   2.0 Background....................................................11
      2.1 Context of Internet Traffic Engineering....................12
      2.2 Network Context............................................13
      2.3 Problem Context............................................14
         2.3.1 Congestion and its Ramifications......................16
      2.4 Solution Context...........................................16
         2.4.1 Combating the Congestion Problem......................18
      2.5 Implementation and Operational Context.....................21



Awduche, et. al.             Informational