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Software Configuration Guide—Release 12.2(25)EW
OL-6696-01
Chapter 29 Configuring QoS
Overview of QoS
All switches and routers across the Internet rely on the class information to provide the same forwarding
treatment to packets with the same class information and different treatment to packets with different
class information. The class information in the packet can be assigned by end hosts or by switches or
routers along the way, based on a configured policy, detailed examination of the packet, or both. Detailed
examination of the packet is expected to happen closer to the edge of the network so that the core
switches and routers are not overloaded.
Switches and routers along the path can use the class information to limit the amount of resources
allocated per traffic class. The behavior of an individual device when handling traffic in the DiffServ
architecture is called per-hop behavior. If all devices along a path provide a consistent per-hop behavior,
you can construct an end-to-end QoS solution.
Implementing QoS in your network can be a simple or complex task and depends on the QoS features
offered by your internetworking devices, the traffic types and patterns in your network, and the
granularity of control you need over incoming and outgoing traffic.
QoS Terminology
The following terms are used when discussing QoS features:
• Packets carry traffic at Layer 3.
• Frames carry traffic at Layer 2. Layer 2 frames carry Layer 3 packets.
• Labels are prioritization values carried in Layer 3 packets and Layer 2 frames:
–
Layer 2 class of service (CoS) values, which range between zero for low priority and seven for
high priority:
Layer 2 Inter-Switch Link (ISL) frame headers have a 1-byte User field that carries an IEEE
802.1p CoS value in the three least significant bits.
Layer 2 802.1Q frame headers have a 2-byte Tag Control Information field that carries the CoS
value in the three most significant bits, which are called the User Priority bits.
Other frame types cannot carry Layer 2 CoS values.
Note On interfaces configured as Layer 2 ISL trunks, all traffic is in ISL frames. On interfaces
configured as Layer 2 802.1Q trunks, all traffic is in 802.1Q frames except for traffic in the
native VLAN.
–
Layer 3 IP precedence values—The IP version 4 specification defines the three most significant
bits of the 1-byte ToS field as IP precedence. IP precedence values range between zero for low
priority and seven for high priority.
–
Layer 3 differentiated services code point (DSCP) values—The Internet Engineering Task
Force (IETF) has defined the six most significant bits of the 1-byte IP ToS field as the DSCP.
The per-hop behavior represented by a particular DSCP value is configurable. DSCP values
range between 0 and 63. See the “Configuring DSCP Maps” section on page 29-45.
Note Layer 3 IP packets can carry either an IP precedence value or a DSCP value. QoS supports
the use of either value, since DSCP values are backwards compatible with IP precedence
values. See Table 29-1.
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