Locating available bandwidth bottlenecks
Vinay J. Ribeiro, Rudolf H. Riedi, Richard G. Baraniuk · IEEE Internet Computing · 2004
The spatio-temporal available bandwidth estimator (STAB), a new edge-based probing tool, locates thin links - those links with less available bandwidth than all the links preceding them - on end-to-end network paths. By localizing thin links, STAB facilitates network operations and troubleshooting, provides insight into what causes network congestion, and aids network-aware applications. The tool uses special chirp-probing trains, featuring an exponential flight pattern of packets, which have the advantage of employing few packets while giving an accurate estimate of available bandwidth.