Module 4: Implement

the DiffServ QoS

Model

Lesson 4.8: Understanding WAN Link Efficiency

Mechanisms

© 2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Objectives
 Describe how link efficiency mechanisms can be used
to optimize bandwidth.
 Describe Layer 2 payload compression.
 Describe how header compression can be used to
prevent sending redundant information.
 Describe Link Fragmentation and Interleaving and the
issues that can be solved using this mechanism.

© 2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Link Efficiency Mechanisms
 Link efficiency mechanisms are often deployed on WAN
links to increase the throughput and to decrease delay
and jitter.
 Cisco IOS link efficiency mechanisms include:
Layer 2 payload compression
Header compression
Link Fragmentation and Interleaving (LFI)

© 2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Compression
 Data compression works by the identification of
patterns in a stream of data.
 Basic elements of compression:
Remove redundancy as much as possible.
There is a theoretical limit, known as Shannon's limit.
 Many compression algorithms exist, for different
purposes:
MPEG compression for video
Huffmann compression for text and software
LZ compression, used in Stacker compression
 Two methods of compression are used:
Hardware compression
Software compression

© 2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Payload and Header Compression

 Payload compression reduces the size of the payload.

 Header compression reduces the header overhead.
 Compression increases throughput and decreases latency.

© 2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Layer 2 Payload Compression

 Layer 2 payload compression reduces the size of the frame payload.

 Entire IP packet is compressed.
 Software compression can add delay because of its complexity.
 Hardware compression reduces the compression delay.
 Serialization delay is reduced; overall latency might be reduced.

© 2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Layer 2 Payload Compression Results

 Compression increases throughput and decreases delay.

 Use hardware compression when possible.
 Examples are Stacker, Predictor, and MPPC.

© 2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Header Compression

.
.

© 2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Header Compression Results

 Header compression increases compression delay and

reduces serialization delay.

© 2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

 Large Packets “Freeze Out” Voice on Slow
WAN Links

 Problems:
Excessive delay due to slow link and MTU-sized (large) packets
Jitter (variable delay) due to variable link utilization

© 2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Link Fragmentation and Interleaving
(LFI)

 LFI reduces the delay and jitter of small packets (such as VoIP).

© 2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Applying Link Efficiency Mechanisms
 Identify bottlenecks in the network.
 Calculate Layer 2 and Layer 3 overhead.
 Decide which type of compression to use, such as TCP
header compression.
 Enable compression on WAN interfaces.

© 2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Network Using LFI

© 2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Self Check
1. What is Shannon’s limit?
2. What is the difference between hardware
compression and software compression?
3. Why is it necessary to use a technique such as LFI
when transmitting delay sensitive packets such as
VoIP?

© 2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Summary
 WAN links can use bandwidth optimizing link efficiency
QoS mechanisms such as payload compression,
header compression, and link fragmentation and
interleaving (LFI). These features are applicable to low-
speed WAN interfaces and are emerging for use on
high-speed Ethernet interfaces.
 Data compression works by identifying patterns in
streams of data, and then chooses a more efficient
method to represent the same information.

© 2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.