As per Relevance of the word resource, we have this rfc below:
Network Working Group P.
Request for Comments: 1346 Joint Network Team,
June 1992
Resource Allocation, Control, and
for the Use of Network
Status of this
This memo provides information for the Internet community. It
not specify an Internet standard. Distribution of this memo
unlimited
0. MANAGEMENT
This paper gives reasons for wanting better sharing mechanisms
networks. It concludes that the challenge of sharing
resources (and for example intercontinental link resources)
groups of users is neither well understood, nor well catered for
terms of tools for those responsible for managing the services.
situation is compared with other fields, both inside and outside IT
and examples are cited. Recommendations for further work are made
The purpose of this RFC is to focus discussion on
challenges in large service networks in general, and
International IP Internet in particular. No solution discussed
this document is intended as a standard. Rather, it is hoped that
general consensus will emerge as to the appropriate solutions
leading eventually to the adoption of standards
The structure of the paper is as follows
1.
2.
3.
1.
Issues arising from contention in the use of networks are
unusual. Once connectivity and reliability have been addressed to
reasonable level, bandwidth becomes (or appears to become?) the
issue. Usage appears to have a strong tendency to rise to fill
resources available (fully in line with the principles of Parkinson'
Law). Line-speed upgrades have an effect, but with no guarantee
permanently alleviating the problem. Line-speeds are increasing
technology improves over time, but the variations on matters
availability and funding are wide, and users remain avaricious
Jones [Page 1]
RFC 1346 Resource Allocation, Control, and Accounting June 1992
Often the situation can appear worse than having to survive in
jungle, in the sense that the strong (even if "good") seem to
little advantage over the weak. It may seem that it is
determined person rather than the important work that gets service
Most people will have experienced poor service on an
network at some time. To help the end-users, it seems on the face
it that one must help the IT Service Manager he relates to.
relating to the relationship between the network manager and
customers, IT Service Managers at institutions connecting to
network, include the following
(a) If the IT Service Manager finds his link to the Network Manager'
network overloaded, he may be offered a link upgrade, probably with
cost estimate. He might prefer control mechanisms whereby he can
that department X deserves more resources than department Y, or
interactive terminal use takes preference over file transfers,
that user U is more important than user V
(b) Where an IT Service Manager is sharing a link, he will
get more than his institution's share of the link, and often get
good value-for-money compared to using a dedicated link, but he
no guarantee that his end-users' usage won't get swamped by the
of other (perhaps much larger) partners on the shared link.
could be seen as wishing to have a guaranteed minimum share
to some parameter(s).
(c) On a shared link as under (b), the Network Manager may wish
ensure that usage of the link (which might be a high-
trunk line on a network or an international link for example) by
one partner is "reasonable" in relation perhaps to his
to the costs. In contrast to (b), the Network Manager is wishing
impose a maximum value on some parameter(s). He may be happy if
width of the IT Service Manager's access link is not greater than
share of the shared link (assuming the measure agreed on is "width"),
but this will commonly not be the case. To be able to
agreement, the Network Manager and the IT Service Manager may
options on the choice of parameters, and perhaps a choice on
means of control, as well as being able to negotiate about values
In circumstances where the Network Manager can exercise such
over his customers, the IT Service Managers may say with some
and perhaps with justification, that if they are going to
controlled can the Network Manager please provide tools whereby
can arrange for the onward sharing of the resource they have,
thence onwards down the hierarchy to the end-users
Jones [Page 2]
RFC 1346 Resource Allocation, Control, and Accounting June 1992
(d) It may be Network Manager A has a link that Network Manager
would like to use on occasion, perhaps as back-up on access to
third network. Network Manager A might well wish to
accommodating, perhaps as examples because of financial benefit
perhaps because of the possibility of a reciprocal arrangement
However, the fear of overload affecting normal use and the lack
control over the usage militates against arrangements that
parties could be quite keen to make
Such challenges are very far from being unique to networking
Government and both public and private organisations and
allocate budgets (and resources other than money), control
account for usage, recognising the possibility of overdrawing
borrowing. In times of shortage, food is rationed. I haven'
checked this out, but it would surprise me if Jerry Hall wasn'
guaranteed a ticket for any Rolling Stones concert, should she
to attend
The charging factor influences use but does not control it (
perhaps in unusual circumstances where say payment was expected
advance and usage was cut off when the money ran out).
In the IT world, multi-user hosts have filestore control systems;
that I use has an overdraft facility with no penalty for not having
prior arrangement! There are also system designs and
for sharing host processor time with more sophistication than
counting seconds and chopping people off; this problem seems to me
be reasonably well understood. (Library catalogue searches
author "John Larmouth" should provide some references for those
require convincing.) Some multi-user hosts have controls of sorts
terminal connections. On the other hand, I am not aware of
control system in operation that can guarantee multi-user
response time even outside the network context among
connected terminals
The various roles bring different interests to bear. A provider
not necessarily see it in his interests to control usage, or (
even more likely) to provide customers with control tools, since
lack of these may encourage - or even oblige - the customer to
more. Even if the IT Service Manager can deal with the issue of
or what is important, and the issues of the relative importance
allocating resources against requests, other issues like
acceptability may arise to complicate his life. For example it
be generally agreed (and perhaps the network manager instructed)
"everyone" must be able to do a small amount of work at any time
perhaps to do some housekeeping or seek information
Jones [Page 3]
RFC 1346 Resource Allocation, Control, and Accounting June 1992
Time is an important factor. Network resources, like
processor time and unlike filestore, vanish if they are not used
People will in general prefer resources during prime shift to
in the middle of their night; however, in global terms the middle
their night can be during prime shift somewhere along their path
usage
What's to do? Splitting lines with multiplexers is
inflexible, and may well militate against the benefits of resource
sharing that give rise commonly to link-sharing arrangements.
technologies
- have the ability to treat (or at least mark) traffic as of
priority, for example where it gives emergency or
information
- (in the case of X.25(84), I understand from my JNT colleague
Smith,) have throughput class (section 6.13) and transit
(section 6.27). (Ian tells me that it is in his view far
clear how practical these facilities are);
- may be able to discriminate between traffic on grounds
network source address
- may be able to discriminate between traffic on grounds
network destination address
- may be able to discriminate between traffic on grounds
application protocol, perhaps giving preference to
terminal traffic, or making a choice between preference
email and for file transfer traffic
- may be able to discriminate between traffic on grounds of
facets of network protocol or traffic
In practice, one may well not have adequate tools in these or
terms, and one may well have to ignore the challenges of
control, and either ignore the issue or refuse service
2.
2.1 There seems to be a lack of tools to enable the
and the sharing of networks and links. This is militating
the cooperative sharing of resources, and restricting the
of organisations to do business with one another
2.2 Further, the definition of what constitutes a share, or
parameter of service one would try to measure and control (or
Jones [Page 4]
RFC 1346 Resource Allocation, Control, and Accounting June 1992
the choices are if any), is not clear
2.3 Following from that, it is then not clear whether what
needed is new or enhanced protocols/services, new or
procurement specifications or profiles, or new or
networking products or tools
2.4 Service providers (more likely the public carriers or but
some Network Managers) may see it as against their interests
provide controlling tools if they see them as tending to
usage and hence reducing income. If so, they may not support,
may even oppose, progress in the area. However, they might
persuaded that the provision of such tools might give
competitive edge over their rivals, and therefore to
appropriate projects and developments
3.
There seems scope for one or more studies to
- restate and refine the definition of the problems
- collect, catalogue and relate relevant experience in both
networking and non-networking fields
- make recommendations as to what areas (e.g., among
suggested in 2.3 above) projects should be undertaken
- outline possible projects, indicating the timescale on
improved sharing of production network service resources
likely to be achieved, and recommending an order of
among the suggested projects
FOOTNOTES
Gender issues - where appropriate, the male embraces the female
vice versa
Dramatis Personae
Jerry Hall is a close associate of Mr. M. Jagger, formerly of
London School of Economics in the University of London, and
Chairman and Chief Executive of an internationally prominent
successful commercial musical operation
Others mentioned in this paper are assumed to prefer to
anonymous, although the standard is to give contact
for the author (see Author's Address section).
Jones [Page 5]
RFC 1346 Resource Allocation, Control, and Accounting June 1992
Security
Security issues are not discussed in this memo
Author's
Phil
RAL, Chilton, Didcot, OXON OX11 0
Voice: +44-235-446618
Fax: +44-235-446251
Email: p.jones@jnt.ac.uk or c=gb;a= ;p=uk.ac;o=jnt;i=p;s=jones
Jones [Page 6]
if you see any problems within the linking, don't worry be happy,
this is version 0.1 of the Relevance System and you gotta expect some crappy subroutines sometimes,
just be content we did not write this in Java, which would have made this "bigger and better" HAHAHHA.
RFC documents can be found at I.E.T.F.
Relevance System Copyright © 2002 Spectrum WorldResearch
other technical nosh by ServerMasters Corporation
collaboration of BobX
