{"draft":"draft-briscoe-docsis-q-protection-07","doc_id":"RFC9957","title":"The DOCSIS Queue Protection Algorithm to Preserve Low Latency","authors":["B. Briscoe, Ed.","G. White"],"format":["HTML","TEXT","PDF","XML"],"page_count":"28","pub_status":"INFORMATIONAL","status":"INFORMATIONAL","source":"INDEPENDENT","abstract":"This Informational RFC explains the specification of the queue\r\nprotection algorithm introduced into Data-Over-Cable Service\r\nInterface Specification (DOCSIS) technology at version 3.1. A shared\r\nlow-latency queue relies on the non-queue-building behaviour of every\r\ntraffic flow using it. However, some flows might not take such care,\r\neither accidentally or maliciously. If a queue is about to exceed a\r\nthreshold level of delay, the Queue Protection algorithm can rapidly\r\ndetect the flows most likely to be responsible. It can then prevent\r\nharm to other traffic in the low-latency queue by ejecting selected\r\npackets (or all packets) of these flows. This document is designed\r\nfor four audiences: a) congestion control designers who need to\r\nunderstand how to keep on the \"good\" side of the algorithm; b)\r\nimplementers of the algorithm who want to understand it in more\r\ndepth; c) designers of algorithms with similar goals, perhaps for\r\nnon-DOCSIS scenarios; and d) researchers interested in evaluating the\r\nalgorithm.","pub_date":"May 2026","keywords":["Independent Submission Stream","ISE","Latency","Policing"],"obsoletes":[],"obsoleted_by":[],"updates":[],"updated_by":[],"see_also":[],"doi":"10.17487\/RFC9957","errata_url":null}