Understand Reference Bandwidth on DSL Interfaces

Introduction

This document describes the concept of reference bandwidth on Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) interfaces. The difference of values seen under the DSL controller and interface is also discussed.

Contributed by Richika Jain, Cisco TAC Engineer.

Prerequisites

Requirements

There are no specific requirements for this document.

Components Used

The information in this document is based on Cisco Routers that support DSL connections like Very-high-bit-rate digital subscriber line (VDSL), Symmetrical high-speed digital subscriber line (SHDSL), Asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) on access side.

The information in this document was created from the devices in a specific lab environment. All of the devices used in this document started with a cleared (default) configuration. If your network is live, ensure that you understand the potential impact of any command.

Reference Bandwidth on DSL Interfaces

In DSL, unlike other medias, there is a difference in upstream and downstream bandwidth.

For example, for E1, there is 2.048 mb upstream and 2.048 mb downstream and when the router calculates txload and reloads, it takes it as a fraction of 2.048 mb for both upstream and downstream and normalizes it in a scale of 255 and displays it. So, if the input rate under the interface is 2048000, you see an rxload of 255/255. 

Now, when it comes to DSL, the router needs a reference bandwidth value for the same calculation. But here there are two bandwidths, upstream and downstream. The bandwidth shown under the interface is upstream bandwidth.

Ethernet0/0/0 is up, line protocol is up 
  Hardware is VDSL_ETHERNET, address is 3033.199e.1948 
 
  MTU 1500 bytes, BW 9998 Kbit/sec, DLY 1000 usec, 
     reliability 255/255, txload 1/255, rxload 1/255
  Encapsulation 802.1Q Virtual LAN, Vlan ID  1., loopback not set
  Keepalive set (10 sec)
  ARP type: ARPA, ARP Timeout 05:00:00
  Last input 3w6d, output 00:00:00, output hang never
  Last clearing of "show interface" counters 06:15:00
  Input queue: 0/75/0/0 (size/max/drops/flushes); Total output drops: 0
  Queueing strategy: fifo
  Output queue: 0/1024 (size/max)
  5 minute input rate 2850000 bits/sec, 420 packets/sec
  5 minute output rate 5749000 bits/sec, 1747 packets/sec
     3887957 packets input, 3183892807 bytes, 0 no buffer
     Received 0 broadcasts (0 IP multicasts)
     0 runts, 0 giants, 0 throttles 
     0 input errors, 0 CRC, 0 frame, 0 overrun, 0 ignored
     0 input packets with dribble condition detected
     1573 packets output, 100231 bytes, 0 underruns
     0 output errors, 0 collisions, 0 interface resets
     0 unknown protocol drops
     0 babbles, 0 late collision, 0 deferred
     0 lost carrier, 0 no carrier
     0 output buffer failures, 0 output buffers swapped out

The reason why upstream bandwidth is chosen as reference bandwidth here is because most of the time the QoS policies are used in output direction and it needs accurate reference bandwidth.

In this output for VDSL controller, there are two kinds of speed values: Attainable Rate and Speed, both for Upstream and Downstream. Speed is the value on which the line is trained with the ISP and Attainable Rate is the maximum speed of the VDSL circuit.

n3-ne-r-hi-435773-01#sh controller vdsl 0/1/0 | i Speed|Attainable
Attainable Rate:        40440 kbits/s            3280 kbits/s
Speed (kbps):             0            25087             0              3192

Complete Output for VDSL controller:

Router#show controller vdsl 0/1/0

Controller VDSL 0/1/0 is UP

Daemon Status:         Up 

                        XTU-R (DS)        XTU-C (US)
Chip Vendor ID:        'BDCM'             'BDCM'
Chip Vendor Specific:   0x0000             0xA1AA
Chip Vendor Country:    0xB500             0xB500
Modem Vendor ID:        'CSCO'             '    '
Modem Vendor Specific:  0x4602             0x0000
Modem Vendor Country:   0xB500             0x0000
Serial Number Near:     FOC15163V2Q 2911/K9 15.5(1)T
Serial Number Far:     
Modem Version Near:     15.5(1)T
Modem Version Far:      0xa1aa

Modem Status:         TC Sync (Showtime!) 

DSL Config Mode:     AUTO 
Trained Mode:        G.993.2 (VDSL2) Profile 17a
TC Mode:             PTM 
Selftest Result:     0x00 
DELT configuration:  disabled 
DELT state:          not running 

Full inits:          1
Failed full inits:   0
Short inits:         0
Failed short inits:  0


Firmware    Source        File Name 
--------    ------        ----------
VDSL        embedded       VDSL_LINUX_DEV_01212008

Modem FW  Version:    130205_1433-4.02L.03.B2pvC035j.d23j
Modem PHY Version:    B2pvC035j.d23j
Trellis:         ON              ON
SRA:              disabled         disabled
 SRA count:          0             0
Bit swap:          enabled         enabled
 Bit swap count:     0             0
Line Attenuation:        0.0 dB          0.0 dB
Signal Attenuation:      0.0 dB          0.0 dB
Noise Margin:           11.1 dB          6.0 dB
Attainable Rate:       40440 kbits/s    3280 kbits/s
Actual Power:           14.5 dBm          4.9 dBm
Per Band Status:        D1      D2      D3      U0     U1     U2     U3
Line Attenuation(dB):   20.0    48.3    73.7    9.4    37.9   56.2   N/A    
Signal Attenuation(dB): 20.0    48.3    N/A    10.2    36.2   53.3   N/A    
Noise Margin(dB):       10.9    11.3    N/A     5.9    6.0    6.0    N/A    
Total FECC:        97252         0
Total ES:          7             0
Total SES:         0             0
Total LOSS:        0             0
Total UAS:        24             24
Total LPRS:        0             0
Total LOFS:        0             0
Total LOLS:        0             0

!--- DSL trained speed can be found below

DSChannel1   DSChannel0    US Channel1   US Channel0
Speed (kbps):              0           25087             0            3192
SRA Previous Speed:        0               0             0               0
Previous Speed:            0               0             0               0
Reed-Solomon EC:           0           97252             0               0
CRC Errors:                0              15             0               0
Header Errors:             0              62             0               0
Interleave (ms):        0.00            8.00          0.00            8.00
Actual INP:             0.00            3.01          0.00            2.00

Training Log :    Stopped
Training Log Filename :    flash:vdsllog.bin

Now for txload and rxload calculation, it uses same reference bandwidth, that is Upstream Bandwitdth. So, when the input traffic rate for example is 9998000, you see the rxload of 255/255, and when the input rate is greater than that (20 mb, 30 mb), it displays rxload 255/255. So, the rxload value that is displayed is not accurate at all times with default reference bandwidth. However, it does not have any impact on actual bandwidth you receive/the speed or throughput.

If you want to change it for QoS purpose, you can change it with the use of the bandwidth command under the interface. However, regardless of what value the bandwidth command is set to, the interface does not change its transmission speed.