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Configuring Weighted Random Early Detection

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Configuring Weighted Random Early Detection

Weighted Random Early Detection Configuration Task List

Enabling WRED

Changing WRED Parameters

Monitoring WRED

DWRED Configuration Task List

Configuring DWRED in a Traffic Policy

Configuring DWRED to Use IP Precedence Values in a Traffic Policy

Monitoring and Maintaining DWRED

Flow-Based WRED Configuration Task List

Configuring Flow-Based WRED

DiffServ Compliant WRED Configuration Task List

Configuring WRED to Use the Differentiated Services Code Point Value

WRED at the Interface Level

WRED at the per-VC Level

WRED at the Class Level

Verifying the DSCP Value Configuration

WRED Configuration Examples

Example: WRED Configuration

Example: Parameter-Setting DWRED

Example: Parameter-Setting WRED

DWRED Configuration Examples

Example: DWRED on an Interface

Example: Modular QoS CLI

Example: Configuring DWRED in Traffic Policy

Flow-Based WRED Configuration Example

DiffServ Compliant WRED Configuration Examples

Example: WRED Configured to Use the DSCP Value

Example: DSCP Value Configuration Verification


Configuring Weighted Random Early Detection

Feature History

Release
Modification

Cisco IOS

For information about feature support in Cisco IOS software, use Cisco Feature Navigator.


This module describes the tasks for configuring Weighted Random Early Detection (WRED), distributed WRED (DWRED), flow-based WRED, and DiffServ Compliant WRED on a router.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco IOS software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to http://www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Note WRED is useful with adaptive traffic such as TCP/IP. With TCP, dropped packets indicate congestion, so the packet source will reduce its transmission rate. With other protocols, packet sources may not respond or may resend dropped packets at the same rate. Thus, dropping packets does not decrease congestion.

WRED treats non-IP traffic as precedence 0, the lowest precedence. Therefore, non-IP traffic is more likely to be dropped than IP traffic.

You cannot configure WRED on the same interface as Route Switch Processor (RSP)-based custom queueing (CQ), priority queueing (PQ), or weighted fair queueing (WFQ). However, you can configure both DWRED and DWFQ on the same interface.

Random Early Detection (RED) is a congestion avoidance mechanism that takes advantage of the congestion control mechanism of TCP. By randomly dropping packets prior to periods of high congestion, RED tells the packet source to decrease its transmission rate. WRED drops packets selectively based on IP precedence. Edge routers assign IP precedences to packets as they enter the network. (WRED is useful on any output interface where you expect to have congestion. However, WRED is usually used in the core routers of a network, rather than at the edge.) WRED uses these precedences to determine how it treats different types of traffic.

When a packet arrives, the following events occur:

1. The average queue size is calculated.

2. If the average is less than the minimum queue threshold, the arriving packet is queued.

3. If the average is between the minimum queue threshold for that type of traffic and the maximum threshold for the interface, the packet is either dropped or queued, depending on the packet drop probability for that type of traffic.

4. If the average queue size is greater than the maximum threshold, the packet is dropped.

Weighted Random Early Detection Configuration Task List

Enabling WRED

Command
Purpose

Router(config-if)# random-detect

Enables WRED. If you configure this command on a Versatile Interface Processor (VIP) interface, DWRED is enabled.


Changing WRED Parameters

Note The default WRED parameter values are based on the best available data. We recommend that you do not change the parameters from their default values unless you have determined that your applications will benefit from the changed values.

Command
Purpose

Router(config-if)# random-detect exponential-weighting-constant exponent

Configures the weight factor used in calculating the average queue length.

Router(config-if)# random-detect precedence precedence min-threshold max-threshold mark-prob-denominator

Configures parameters for packets with a specific IP Precedence. The minimum threshold for IP Precedence 0 corresponds to half the maximum threshold for the interface. Repeat this command for each precedence. To configure RED, rather than WRED, use the same parameters for each precedence.


Monitoring WRED

Command
Purpose

Router# show queue interface-type interface-number

Displays the header information of the packets inside a queue. This command does not support DWRED.

Router# show queueing interface interface-number [vc [[vpi/] vci]]

Displays the WRED statistics of a specific virtual circuit (VC) on an interface.

Router# show queueing random-detect

Displays the queueing configuration for WRED.

Router# show interfaces [type slot | port-adapter | port]

Displays WRED configuration on an interface.


DWRED Configuration Task List

Configuring DWRED in a Traffic Policy

 
Command
Purpose

Step 1 

Router(config)# policy-map policy-map

Specifies the name of the traffic policy to be created or modified.

Step 2 

Router(config-pmap)# class class-name

Specifies the name of a traffic class to be created and included in the traffic policy

 

Steps 3, 4, and 5 are optional. If you do not want to configure the exponential weight factor, specify the amount of bandwidth, or specify the number of queues to be reserved, you can skip these three steps and continue with step 6.

Step 3 

Router(config-pmap-c)# random-detect exponential-weighting-constant exponent

Configures the exponential weight factor used in calculating the average queue length.

Step 4 

Router(config-pmap-c)# bandwidth bandwidth-kbps

Specifies the amount of bandwidth, in kbps, to be assigned to the traffic class.

Step 5 

Router(config-pmap-c)# fair-queue [queue-limit queue-values]

Specifies the number of queues to be reserved for the traffic class.

Step 6 

Router(config-pmap-c)# queue-limit number-of-packets

Specifies the maximum number of packets that can be queued for the specified traffic class.

Configuring DWRED to Use IP Precedence Values in a Traffic Policy

 
Command
Purpose

Step 1 

Router(config)# policy-map policy-map

Specifies the name of the traffic policy to be created or modified.

Step 2 

Router(config-pmap)# class class-name

Specifies the name of a traffic class to associate with the traffic policy

Step 3 

Router(config-pmap-c)# random-detect exponential-weighting-constant exponent

Configures the exponential weight factor used in calculating the average queue length.

Step 4 

Router(config-pmap-c)# random-detect precedence precedence min-threshold max-threshold mark-prob-denominator

Configures the parameters for packets with a specific IP Precedence. The minimum threshold for IP Precedence 0 corresponds to half the maximum threshold for the interface. Repeat this command for each precedence.

Monitoring and Maintaining DWRED

Command
Purpose

Router# show policy-map

Displays all configured traffic policies.

Router# show policy-map policy-map-name

Displays the user-specified traffic policy.

Router# show policy-map interface

Displays statistics and configurations of all input and output policies attached to an interface.

Router# show policy-map interface interface-spec

Displays configuration and statistics of the input and output policies attached to a particular interface.

Router# show policy-map interface interface-spec input

Displays configuration and statistics of the input policy attached to an interface.

Router# show policy-map interface interface-spec output

Displays configuration statistics of the output policy attached to an interface.

Router# show policy-map [interface [interface-spec [input | output] [class class-name]]]]

Displays the configuration and statistics for the class name configured in the policy.


Flow-Based WRED Configuration Task List

Configuring Flow-Based WRED

 
Command
Purpose

Step 1 

Router(config-if)# random-detect flow

Enables flow-based WRED.

Step 2 

Router(config-if)# random-detect flow average-depth-factor scaling-factor

Sets the flow threshold multiplier for flow-based WRED.

Step 3 

Router(config-if)# random-detect flow count number

Sets the maximum flow count for flow-based WRED.

DiffServ Compliant WRED Configuration Task List

Configuring WRED to Use the Differentiated Services Code Point Value

WRED at the Interface Level

 
Command
Purpose

Step 1 

Router(config-if)# random-detect dscp-based

Indicates that WRED is to use the DSCP value when it calculates the drop probability for the packet.

Step 2 

Router(config-if)# random-detect dscp dscpvalue min-threshold max-threshold [mark-probability-denominator]

Specifies the minimum and maximum thresholds, and, optionally, the mark-probability denominator for the specified DSCP value.

WRED at the per-VC Level

 
Command
Purpose

Step 1 

Router(config)# random-detect-group group-name dscp-based

Indicates that WRED is to use the DSCP value when it calculates the drop probability for the packet.

Step 2 

Router(cfg-red-grp)# dscp dscpvalue min-threshold max-threshold [mark-probability-denominator]

Specifies the DSCP value, the minimum and maximum packet thresholds and, optionally, the mark-probability denominator for the DSCP value.

Step 3 

Router(config-atm-vc)# random-detect [attach group-name]

Enables per-VC WRED or per-VC VIP-DWRED.

WRED at the Class Level

 
Command
Purpose

Step 1 

Router(config-if)# class-map class-map-name

Creates a class map to be used for matching packets to a specified class.

Step 2 

Router(config-cmap)# match match criterion

Configures the match criteria for a class map.

Step 3 

Router(config-if)# policy-map policy-map

Creates or modifies a policy map that can be attached to one or more interfaces to specify a traffic policy.

Step 4 

Router(config-pmap)# class class-map-name

Specifies the QoS actions for the default class.

Step 5 

Router(config-pmap-c)# bandwidth {bandwidth-kbps | percent percent}

Specifies or modifies the bandwidth allocated for a class belonging to a policy map.

Step 6 

Router(config-pmap-c)# random-detect dscp-based

Indicates that WRED is to use the DSCP value when it calculates the drop probability for the packet.

Step 7 

Router(config-pmap-c)# random-detect dscp dscpvalue min-threshold max-threshold [mark-probability-denominator]

Specifies the minimum and maximum packet thresholds and, optionally, the mark-probability denominator for the DSCP value.

Step 8 

Router(config-if)# service-policy output policy-map

Attaches a policy map to an output interface or VC to be used as the traffic policy for that interface or VC.

Verifying the DSCP Value Configuration

Command
Purpose

Router# show queueing interface

Displays the queueing statistics of an interface or VC.

Router# show policy-map interface

Displays the configuration of classes configured for traffic policies on the specified interface or permanent virtual circuit (PVC).


WRED Configuration Examples

Example: WRED Configuration

The following example enables WRED with default parameter values: 

interface Serial5/0

 description to qos1-75a

 ip address 200.200.14.250 255.255.255.252

 random-detect

Use the show interfaces command output to verify the configuration. Notice that the "Queueing strategy" report lists "random early detection (RED)." 

Router# show interfaces serial 5/0


Serial5/0 is up, line protocol is up 

  Hardware is M4T

  Description: to qos1-75a

  Internet address is 200.200.14.250/30

  MTU 1500 bytes, BW 128 Kbit, DLY 20000 usec, 

     reliability 255/255, txload 1/255, rxload 237/255

  Encapsulation HDLC, crc 16, loopback not set

  Keepalive not set

  Last input 00:00:15, output 00:00:00, output hang never

  Last clearing of "show interface" counters 00:05:08

  Input queue: 0/75/0 (size/max/drops); Total output drops: 1036

  Queueing strategy: random early detection(RED)

  5 minutes input rate 0 bits/sec, 2 packets/sec

  5 minutes output rate 119000 bits/sec, 126 packets/sec

     594 packets input, 37115 bytes, 0 no buffer

     Received 5 broadcasts, 0 runts, 0 giants, 0 throttles

     0 input errors, 0 CRC, 0 frame, 0 overrun, 0 ignored, 0 abort

     37525 packets output, 4428684 bytes, 0 underruns

     0 output errors, 0 collisions, 0 interface resets

     0 output buffer failures, 0 output buffers swapped out

     0 carrier transitions     DCD=up  DSR=up  DTR=up  RTS=up  CTS=up

Use the show queue command output to view the current contents of the interface queue. Notice that there is only a single queue into which packets from all IP precedences are placed after dropping has taken place. The output has been truncated to show only three of the five packets. 

Router# show queue serial 5/0 


Output queue for Serial5/0 is 5/0


Packet 1, linktype: ip, length: 118, flags: 0x288

  source: 190.1.3.4, destination: 190.1.2.2, id: 0x0001, ttl: 254,

  TOS: 128 prot: 17, source port 11111, destination port 22222

    data: 0x2B67 0x56CE 0x005E 0xE89A 0xCBA9 0x8765 0x4321 

          0x0FED 0xCBA9 0x8765 0x4321 0x0FED 0xCBA9 0x8765 


Packet 2, linktype: ip, length: 118, flags: 0x288

  source: 190.1.3.5, destination: 190.1.2.2, id: 0x0001, ttl: 254,

  TOS: 160 prot: 17, source port 11111, destination port 22222

    data: 0x2B67 0x56CE 0x005E 0xE89A 0xCBA9 0x8765 0x4321 

          0x0FED 0xCBA9 0x8765 0x4321 0x0FED 0xCBA9 0x8765 


Packet 3, linktype: ip, length: 118, flags: 0x280

  source: 190.1.3.6, destination: 190.1.2.2, id: 0x0001, ttl: 254,

  TOS: 192 prot: 17, source port 11111, destination port 22222

    data: 0x2B67 0x56CE 0x005E 0xE89A 0xCBA9 0x8765 0x4321 

          0x0FED 0xCBA9 0x8765 0x4321 0x0FED 0xCBA9 0x8765

Use the show queueing command output to view the current settings for each of the precedences. Also notice that the default minimum thresholds are spaced evenly between half and the entire maximum threshold. Thresholds are specified in terms of packet count. 

Router# show queueing


Current random-detect configuration:

     Serial5/0

       Queueing strategy:random early detection (WRED)

       Exp-weight-constant:9 (1/512)

       Mean queue depth:28

       Class   Random       Tail    Minimum    Maximum     Mark

                 drop       drop  threshold  threshold  probability

         0        330          0         20         40     1/10

         1        267          0         22         40     1/10

         2        217          0         24         40     1/10

         3        156          0         26         40     1/10

         4         61          0         28         40     1/10

         5          6          0         31         40     1/10

         6          0          0         33         40     1/10

         7          0          0         35         40     1/10

        rsvp        0          0         37         40     1/10

Example: Parameter-Setting DWRED

The following example specifies the same parameters for each IP precedence. Thus, all IP precedences receive the same treatment. Start by enabling DWRED. 

interface FastEthernet1/0/0

 ip address 200.200.14.250 255.255.255.252

 random-detect

Next, enter the show queueing random-detect command to determine reasonable values to use for the precedence-specific parameters. 

Router# show queueing random-detect


Current random-detect configuration:

  FastEthernet2/0/0

    Queueing strategy:fifo

    Packet drop strategy:VIP-based random early detection (DWRED)

    Exp-weight-constant:9 (1/512)

    Mean queue depth:0

    Queue size:0       Maximum available buffers:6308

    Output packets:5  WRED drops:0  No buffer:0


    Class   Random       Tail    Minimum    Maximum     Mark       Output

              drop       drop  threshold  threshold  probability  Packets

      0          0          0       109        218      1/10            5

      1          0          0       122        218      1/10            0

      2          0          0       135        218      1/10            0

      3          0          0       148        218      1/10            0

      4          0          0       161        218      1/10            0

      5          0          0       174        218      1/10            0

      6          0          0       187        218      1/10            0

      7          0          0       200        218      1/10            0

Complete the configuration by assigning the same parameter values to each precedence. Use the values obtained from the show queueing random-detect command output to choose reasonable parameter values. 

interface FastEthernet1/0/0

 random-detect precedence 0 100 218 10

 random-detect precedence 1 100 218 10

 random-detect precedence 2 100 218 10

 random-detect precedence 3 100 218 10

 random-detect precedence 4 100 218 10

 random-detect precedence 5 100 218 10

 random-detect precedence 6 100 218 10

 random-detect precedence 7 100 218 10

Example: Parameter-Setting WRED

The following example enables WRED on the interface and specifies parameters for the different IP precedences: 

interface Hssi0/0/0

 description 45Mbps to R1

 ip address 10.200.14.250 255.255.255.252

 random-detect

 random-detect precedence 0 32 256 100

 random-detect precedence 1 64 256 100

 random-detect precedence 2 96 256 100

 random-detect precedence 3 120 256 100

 random-detect precedence 4 140 256 100

 random-detect precedence 5 170 256 100

 random-detect precedence 6 290 256 100

 random-detect precedence 7 210 256 100

 random-detect precedence rsvp 230 256 100

DWRED Configuration Examples

Example: DWRED on an Interface

The following example configures DWRED on an interface with a weight factor of 10: 

Router(config)# interface hssi0/0/0

Router(config-if)# description 45mbps to R1

Router(config-if)# ip address 192.168.14.250 255.255.255.252

Router(config-if)# random-detect

Router(config-if)# random-detect exponential-weighting-constant 10

Example: Modular QoS CLI

The following example enables DWRED using the Legacy CLI (non-Modular QoS Command-Line Interface) feature on the interface and specifies parameters for the different IP precedences: 

interface Hssi0/0/0

 description 45Mbps to R1

 ip address 200.200.14.250 255.255.255.252

 random-detect

 random-detect precedence 0 32 256 100

 random-detect precedence 1 64 256 100

 random-detect precedence 2 96 256 100

 random-detect precedence 3 120 256 100

 random-detect precedence 4 140 256 100

 random-detect precedence 5 170 256 100

 random-detect precedence 6 290 256 100

 random-detect precedence 7 210 256 100

 random-detect precedence rsvp 230 256 100

The following example uses the Modular QoS CLI to configure a traffic policy called policy10. For congestion avoidance, WRED packet drop is used, not tail drop. IP Precedence is reset for levels 0 through 5. 

policy-map policy10  
 class acl10 
 bandwidth 2000

 random-detect exponential-weighting-constant 10

 random-detect precedence 0 32 256 100

 random-detect precedence 1 64 256 100

 random-detect precedence 2 96 256 100

 random-detect precedence 3 120 256 100

 random-detect precedence 4 140 256 100

 random-detect precedence 5 170 256 100

Example: Configuring DWRED in Traffic Policy

The following example configures policy for a traffic class named int10 to configure the exponential weight factor as 12. This is the weight factor used for the average queue size calculation for the queue for traffic class int10. WRED packet drop is used for congestion avoidance for traffic class int10, not tail drop. 

policy-map policy12  
 class int10 
 bandwidth 2000

 random-detect exponential-weighting-constant 12

Flow-Based WRED Configuration Example

The following example enables WRED on the serial interface 1 and configures flow-based WRED. The random-detect interface configuration command is used to enable WRED. Once WRED is enabled, the random-detect flow command is used to enable flow-based WRED.

After flow-based WRED is enabled, the random-detect flow average-depth-factor command is used to set the scaling factor to 8 and the random-detect flow count command is used to set the flow count to 16. The scaling factor is used to scale the number of buffers available per flow and to determine the number of packets allowed in the output queue for each active flow. 

configure terminal

interface Serial1

 random-detect

 random-detect flow

 random-detect flow average-depth-factor 8

 random-detect flow count 16

end

The following part of the example shows a sample configuration file after the previous flow-based WRED commands are issued: 

Router# more system:running-config


Building configuration...

Current configuration:

!

version 12.0

service timestamps debug datetime msec localtime

service timestamps log uptime

no service password-encryption

service tcp-small-servers

!

no logging console

enable password lab

!

clock timezone PST -8

clock summer-time PDT recurring

ip subnet-zero

no ip domain-lookup

!

interface Ethernet0

 no ip address

 no ip directed-broadcast

 no ip mroute-cache

 shutdown

!

interface Serial0

 no ip address

 no ip directed-broadcast

 no ip mroute-cache

 no keepalive

 shutdown

!

interface Serial1

 ip address 190.1.2.1 255.255.255.0

 no ip directed-broadcast

 load-interval 30

 no keepalive

 random-detect

 random-detect flow

 random-detect flow count 16

 random-detect flow average-depth-factor 8

!

router igrp 8

 network 190.1.0.0

!

ip classless

no ip http server

!

line con 0

 transport input none

line 1 16

 transport input all

line aux 0

 transport input all

line vty 0 4

 password lab

 login

!

end

DiffServ Compliant WRED Configuration Examples

Example: WRED Configured to Use the DSCP Value

The following example configures WRED to use the DSCP value 8. The minimum threshold for the DSCP value 8 is 24 and the maximum threshold is 40. This configuration was performed at the interface level. 

Router(config-if)# interface seo/0

Router(config-if)# random-detect dscp-based

Router(config-if)# random-detect dscp 8 24 40

The following example enables WRED to use the DSCP value 9. The minimum threshold for the DSCP value 9 is 20 and the maximum threshold is 50. This configuration can be attached to other VCs, as required. 

Router(config)# random-detect-group sanjose dscp-based

Router(cfg-red-grp)# dscp 9 20 50

Router(config-subif-vc)# random-detect attach sanjose

The following example enables WRED to use the DSCP value 8 for the class c1. The minimum threshold for the DSCP value 8 is 24 and the maximum threshold is 40. The last line attaches the traffic policy to the output interface or VC p1. 

Router(config-if)# class-map c1

Router(config-cmap)# match access-group 101

Router(config-if)# policy-map p1

Router(config-pmap)# class c1

Router(config-pmap-c)# bandwidth 48

Router(config-pmap-c)# random-detect dscp-based

Router(config-pmap-c)# random-detect dscp 8 24 40

Router(config-if)# service-policy output p1

Example: DSCP Value Configuration Verification

When WRED has been configured to use the DSCP value when it calculates the drop probability of a packet, all entries of the DSCP table are initialized with the appropriate default values. The example in the following section are samples of the show policy interface command for WRED at the class level.

This example displays packet statistics along with the entries of the DSCP table, confirming that WRED has been enabled to use the DSCP value when it calculates the drop probability for a packet. 

Router# show policy interface Serial6/3 


 Serial6/3 


  Service-policy output: test


    Class-map: c1 (match-any)

      0 packets, 0 bytes

      5 minute offered rate 0 bps, drop rate 0 bps

      Match: protocol ip

        0 packets, 0 bytes

        5 minute rate 0 bps

      Weighted Fair Queueing

        Output Queue: Conversation 265 

        Bandwidth 20 (%)

        Bandwidth 308 (kbps)

        (pkts matched/bytes matched) 0/0

        (depth/total drops/no-buffer drops) 0/0/0

         exponential weight: 9

         mean queue depth: 0


dscp     Transmitted       Random drop      Tail drop    Minimum Maximum  Mark

          pkts/bytes        pkts/bytes       pkts/bytes    thresh  thresh  prob

af11          0/0               0/0              0/0           32      40  1/10

af12          0/0               0/0              0/0           28      40  1/10

af13          0/0               0/0              0/0           24      40  1/10

af21          0/0               0/0              0/0           32      40  1/10

af22          0/0               0/0              0/0           28      40  1/10

af23          0/0               0/0              0/0           24      40  1/10

af31          0/0               0/0              0/0           32      40  1/10

af32          0/0               0/0              0/0           28      40  1/10

af33          0/0               0/0              0/0           24      40  1/10

af41          0/0               0/0              0/0           32      40  1/10

af42          0/0               0/0              0/0           28      40  1/10

af43          0/0               0/0              0/0           24      40  1/10

cs1           0/0               0/0              0/0           22      40  1/10

cs2           0/0               0/0              0/0           24      40  1/10

cs3           0/0               0/0              0/0           26      40  1/10

cs4           0/0               0/0              0/0           28      40  1/10

cs5           0/0               0/0              0/0           30      40  1/10

cs6           0/0               0/0              0/0           32      40  1/10

cs7           0/0               0/0              0/0           34      40  1/10

ef            0/0               0/0              0/0           36      40  1/10

rsvp          0/0               0/0              0/0           36      40  1/10

default       0/0               0/0              0/0           20      40  1/10

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