Policy Manager lets you define classes of service (CoS) that can include one or more of the following components: an 802.1p priority, an IP type of service (ToS) value, drop precedence, rate limits, and transmit queue configuration.
When you install Policy Manager, the Class of Service Configuration window (available from the Policy Manager Edit menu) is pre-populated with eight static classes of service, each associated with one of the 802.1p priorities (0-7). You can use these classes of service as is, or configure them to include ToS/DSCP, rate limit, and/or transmit queue values. In addition, you can also create your own classes of service.
After you have created and defined your classes of service, they are then available when you make a class of service selection for a rule action (General tab), a role default (General tab), or an automated service (General tab).
It is recommended that you read Getting Started with Class of Service before creating your classes of service.
Instructions on:
Creating a Class of Service
The basic components for a class of service include an 802.1p priority, an IP type of service (ToS) value, drop precedence, rate limits, and transmit queue configuration.
Use the following instructions to create a new class of service using the Class of Service Configuration window.
- Open the Class of Service Configuration window (available from the Policy Manager Edit menu).
- Click the Create button and select Create Class of Service from the menu.
- In the Name field, enter the name for the class of service.
- If the class of service includes an 802.1p priority, select the checkbox and use the drop-down list to choose the priority (0-7 with 7 being the highest priority).
- If desired, select the ToS/DSCP Marking option to associate an IP ToS (Type of Service) or DSCP (Diffserv Codepoint) value with the class of service (see IP Type of Service for more information). You can either enter a value in the Value 0x text box, or click Select to open the ToS/DSCP Configuration window, where you can automatically configure a ToS (Type of Service) or DSCP (Diffserv Codepoint) value.
- If desired, specify a Drop Precedence. The Drop Precedence is used in conjunction with the Flex-Edge feature available on K-Series and S-Series (Release 7.11 or higher) devices. Flex-Edge provides the unique capability to prioritize traffic in the MAC chip as it enters the switch. When the Class of Service is assigned to a policy role, and that role is applied to a port via a MAC source address mapping or the port default role, the drop precedence will dictate the internal priority (within the MAC chip) that will be used for packets received on the port. If congestion occurs, packets with a high drop precedence are discarded first. Therefore, if a packet is important, it should have a low drop precedence. Refer to the K-Series or S-Series Configuration Guide for more information on the Flex-Edge feature and drop precedence.
- Use the drop-down menu to select a transmit queue for the class of service. If you would like to select a different transmit queue for each port type, select the "Q/Port Type" option. Then, when you click Apply or OK, you will see a window where you can specify a different transmit queue for each port type.
- If desired, use the Rate Limit Configuration section to select a port inbound and outbound rate limit to associate with the class of service. Click Create on the drop-down menu to open the Create Rate Limit window where you can create a new rate limit. The rate limit you select here will be applied to all IRL/ORL port groups. To configure different rates for each port group, use the Class of Service Configuration window.
- If you have ExtremeWireless Wireless Controllers on your network, you will see an option to select inbound and outbound user rate limits to associate with the class of service. User rate limits specify the bandwidth given to each individual user on a port. Currently, user rate limits are only available for wireless controllers.
- Click OK. The class of service is created and is listed in the Class of Service Configuration table.
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Click the Save button on the Policy Manager toolbar to save your new Class of Service to the Policy Manager database.
After a class of service has been created, you can double-click in the Class of Service Configuration table to modify its characteristics, if necessary.
Creating Class of Service Port Groups
Policy Manager provides the ability to create rate limit port groups that let you group together ports with similar rate limiting requirements. For example you might want to create a class of service where your edge ports would receive one rate limit while your core ports would receive a different rate limit. With port groups, you can create a single class of service that assigns a different rate limit to each group.
It also provides the ability to create transmit queue shaper port groups that allow you to isolate certain kinds of sensitive network traffic so that you can give it a high transmit queue priority. For example, ports on a router might be grouped together and configured with a specific rate shaping parameter. A transmit queue port group may contain multiple port queue types (for example, 4-queue ports and 16-queue ports) depending on the type of devices on your network.
Initially, all ports are grouped into a Default port group. When you create new port groups, you add ports from the Default group into your newly defined port groups.
The following instructions are for creating new port groups for an existing class of service.
- Open the Class of Service Configuration window (available from the Policy Manager Edit menu).
- Click the Create button and select the menu option to create the desired group type: rate limit (RL) port group or transmit queue (TxQ) shaper port group. You can also right-click on the table column heading to see a menu option for creating a group.
- The Create CoS Port Group window opens. Enter a name for the port group. Use the Also Create option if you want to create multiple port group types with this same name.
- The new port group appears in the Class of Service Configuration table under the appropriate port group type.
- Right-click on the new port group heading and select Add/Remove Ports.
- The Add/Remove Ports window opens with the ports in the Default port group displayed in the left panel. Add ports to the new port group by selecting the ports in the left-panel, then selecting the port group in the right panel, and clicking Add. Click OK to close the window.
- To configure different rates for each port group, double-click in the column under the port group to set or change a rate for each port group.
- Click Save on the toolbar.
Deleting a Class of Service
- Open the Class of Service Configuration window (available from the Policy Manager Edit menu).
- Right-click the class of service you want to remove, and select Delete.
- Click OK to confirm that you want the class of service removed.
- Click Save on the toolbar.
For information on related tasks:
For information on related windows:
