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See - now traffic management just doesn't work, does it?

  • tonycollinet
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« on 05/11/2009, 21:46 »
I thought that the ellacoyas were supposed to do all sorts of fancy deep packet inspection to correctly classify traffic regardless of where it comes from. So how is it, that just about any video site I go to other than youtube, google, and BBC cannot serve the video at a sensible rate - yet people on other ISP's have no problem.

A couple of weeks ago, I reported by a ticket about two video sites which were apparently throttled. Unfortunately the ticket was closed after I didn't get back quick enough with a wireshark capture when requested. I have just tried to go to another site with video which is similarly throttled, so I have now created another ticket - 30644878 to re-report the original sites (though one is working now) and to add the third. I have reported them as incorrect traffic management, and wireshark captures have been added.

But here is my problem. Sometimes I chat with mates online, and sometimes they send me links to videos. It seems that if they are not from one of the more common sites, then I simply cannot watch them, and I become excluded from the subsequent conversation. Of course I can report the incorrect traffic management - but it is too late by the time anything (if at all) is done.

Then there are the ongoing spotify issues. It seems to me that traffic management consists mainly of white listing popular services, and blocking everything else. My question to plus net staff - if anyone reads this - is:
How can you claim that your service is good for interactive net use - when anything slightly out of the ordinary is effectively blocked?

For anyone interested in trying the video sites I have reported, they are below. 5min.com seems to be working ok now though:

http://video.mpora.com/watch/uGQu2nZFk
http://www.5min.com/Video...ano-brake-system-66769651
http://www.asylum.co.uk/2...wn-building-real-or-fake/
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  • Oldjim
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« Reply #1 on 06/11/2009, 09:57 »
First one stuttered badly
Second - not found
Third - no problem.
However this is a bandwidth report from the first site - no sign of throttling as that is my line capacity



* 2009-11-06_095411.jpg (9.42 KB, 275x132 - viewed 15 times.)
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  • jelv
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« Reply #2 on 06/11/2009, 10:38 »
First one stuttered badly because it was maxing out my CPU, but it was buffering ahead and the entire 10 minute video downloaded in about 4 minutes.
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  • adiewoo
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« Reply #3 on 06/11/2009, 11:08 »
Last night performance on first one was awful, close to maxing out the CPU but not quite.
This morning smoother than the cream in a twinkie.
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  • Mand
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« Reply #4 on 06/11/2009, 11:55 »
Hi,

We've had some network issues lately, which mean we're not operating as we should be at peak times.

In all honesty if it wasn't for traffic management some of the problems lately would have been a lot worse (the balancing issues in particular).

The videos you linked to are delivered by Akamai and Limelight, which are classed as download servers as opposed to streaming, and will be managed at peak times depending on your product.

The Wireshark captures, whilst showing the priority, do not show what happens at the start of the flow (this is needed to make changes). Can you run it again, but start before the video begins please?
  • tonycollinet
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« Reply #5 on 06/11/2009, 12:53 »
The videos you linked to are delivered by Akamai and Limelight, which are classed as download servers as opposed to streaming, and will be managed at peak times depending on your product.


So that is incorrect classification right? Cos you have always claimed streaming services (which these are - regardless of how they are hosted) are prioritised.

Will give new wireshark captures tonght when I get home. Do you want the whole webpage (because they take some time to load)? I think you'll have to, becuase I cannot judge when the video will start.
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« Reply #6 on 06/11/2009, 13:11 »
Akamai and Limelight ... are classed as download servers as opposed to streaming, and will be managed at peak times depending on your product.

So that is incorrect classification right? Cos you have always claimed streaming services (which these are - regardless of how they are hosted) are prioritised.

two crucial points there.
I've experienced browsing (not "downloading") on Akamai-hosted sites as almost unusable when they are delivering even static content (eBay is a good example) on my BB+ account. I know that they are not at all unusable on other types of account such as "PRO".

Even on the lowest priced product a consumer needs to be able to browse usefully on any site and the "if-it's-akamai-it'll-be-managed-if-you're-not-paying-enough-even-though-not-downloading" approach needs to be addressed.
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  • Mand
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« Reply #7 on 06/11/2009, 16:28 »
Currently, we don't differentiate between 'Akamai static content' and 'Akamai downloads'. There is one way to do it, and we have done it in the past, but the hardware manufacturers specifically advise you not to do this because it causes performance problems across the board.

We're hoping to do this again at some point.
« Reply #8 on 06/11/2009, 18:32 »
first one ran like a dream for me on 21CN…?!
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  • ASBO DOG
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« Reply #9 on 06/11/2009, 18:48 »
not so for me on unlimited on 21cn pipe pcl-ag04
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« Reply #10 on 06/11/2009, 19:22 »
weird - i'm on ag04 too?!  on Pro though…
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  • ASBO DOG
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« Reply #11 on 06/11/2009, 19:24 »
pro dosent have anything classed outside of line speed  Wink
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« Reply #12 on 06/11/2009, 19:33 »
The first one was paused more than it was runnig for me:
Unlimited, 21CN, thn-ag2, cpu load never exceeded 30%
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« Reply #13 on 06/11/2009, 21:14 »
First one Ok for me, slight jitters occ, but nothing that stopped me watching it at all.
Second unavailable
Third Fine.

CPU was maxxed out on both at 100% utilisation.  This was on my laptop, with a Celeron 2.6Ghz CPU, and 1Gb RAM.
On BBYW Option 2.
Tried now, as around this time would be the most throttled I would have thought.
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  • Paul03
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« Reply #14 on 06/11/2009, 21:28 »
First stuttered
2nd - Page not found
3rd - fine

I'm on 21CN Pro.
plusnet pro
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« Reply #15 on 07/11/2009, 01:21 »
I am using 8MB Pro and the first one streamed fast enough for continuous playback. Ofcourse the third one was no problem at all (Low quality). The second one like others have pointed out, not found.

It is worth noting on the quality of the first one though, that is a very high quality video, I dont know your pc specs but unless the video is actually pausing completly because it needs to buffer again, thats most likely your pc that is struggling to play it smoothly
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