QoS rate allocation in computer networks under uncertainty

The purpose of this paper is to examine the problem of rate allocation (RA) in computer networks in cases when some parameters are unknown or their values are imprecise.

The application of uncertain variables for the RA problems in computer networks in the presence of uncertainty is proposed.

Decision‐making problem formulations for RA in computer networks with unknown parameters of the utility functions and bandwidths based on the network utility maximization concept are given. Solution algorithms for all these problems are proposed.

It is assumed that an expert can describe possible values of unknown network parameters in the form of a certainty distribution. Then, the formalism of uncertain variables is applied and the knowledge of an expert is modelled with certainty distributions.

The RA algorithms obtained can be useful for designing and planning computer networks.

The new approach to the RA problem in computer networks in the presence of uncertainty, in cases when the probabilistic approach cannot be applied, is proposed and discussed.