[Bloat] Questions for Bufferbloat Wikipedia article

[Neil Davies]

It should be noted that a) and b) are related by the “service rate” - if you want to look at how to measure “unhappiness” in networking you might want to look at the Broadband Forum’s work on “Quality Attenuation” discussed in TR452.1[1] where there is a formal definition and calculus for it…

Neil
[1]https://www.broadband-forum.org/download/TR-452.1.pdf

> On 5 Apr 2021, at 13:46, Rich Brown <richb.hanover at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Dave Täht has put me up to revising the current Bufferbloat article on Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bufferbloat)
> 
> Before I get into it, I want to ask real experts for some guidance... Here goes:
> 
> 1) What is *our* definition of Bufferbloat? (We invented the term, so I think we get to define it.)
> 
> a) Are we content with the definition from the bufferbloat.net site, "Bufferbloat is the undesirable latency that comes from a router or other network equipment buffering too much data." (This suggests bufferbloat is latency, and could be measured in seconds/msec.)
> 
> b) Or should we use something like Jim Gettys' definition from the Dark Buffers article (https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5755608), "Bufferbloat is the existence of excessively large (bloated) buffers in systems, particularly network communication systems." (This suggests bufferbloat is an unfortunate state of nature, measured in units of "unhappiness" :-)
> 
> c) Or some other definition?
> 
> 2) All network equipment can be bloated. I have seen (but not really followed) controversy regarding the amount of buffering needed in the Data Center. Is it worth having the Wikipedia article distinguish between Data Center equipment and CPE/home/last mile equipment? Similarly, is the "bloat condition" and its mitigation qualitatively different between those applications? Finally, do any of us know how frequently data centers/backbone ISPs experience buffer-induced latencies? What's the magnitude of the impact?
> 
> 3) The Wikipedia article mentions guidance that network gear should accommodate buffering 250 msec of traffic(!) Is this a real "rule of thumb" or just an often-repeated but unscientific suggestion? Can someone give pointers to best practices?
> 
> 4) Meta question: Can anyone offer any advice on making a wholesale change to a Wikipedia article? Before I offer a fork-lift replacement I would a) solicit advice on the new text from this list, and b) try to make contact with some of the reviewers and editors who've been maintaining the page to establish some bona fides and rapport...
> 
> Many thanks!
> 
> Rich
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