Cisco Systems 3750E manual Classification, 36-5

Chapter 36 Configuring QoS

Understanding QoS

Classification

Classification is the process of distinguishing one kind of traffic from another by examining the fields in the packet. Classification is enabled only if QoS is globally enabled on the switch. By default, QoS is globally disabled, so no classification occurs.

During classification, the switch performs a lookup and assigns a QoS label to the packet. The QoS label identifies all QoS actions to be performed on the packet and from which queue the packet is sent.

The QoS label is based on the DSCP or the CoS value in the packet and decides the queueing and scheduling actions to perform on the packet. The label is mapped according to the trust setting and the packet type as shown in Figure 36-3 on page 36-6.

You specify which fields in the frame or packet that you want to use to classify incoming traffic. For non-IP traffic, you have these classification options as shown in Figure 36-3:

•Trust the CoS value in the incoming frame (configure the port to trust CoS). Then use the configurable CoS-to-DSCP map to generate a DSCP value for the packet. Layer 2 ISL frame headers carry the CoS value in the 3 least-significant bits of the 1-byte User field. Layer 2 802.1Q frame headers carry the CoS value in the 3 most-significant bits of the Tag Control Information field. CoS values range from 0 for low priority to 7 for high priority.

•Trust the DSCP or trust IP precedence value in the incoming frame. These configurations are meaningless for non-IP traffic. If you configure a port with either of these options and non-IP traffic is received, the switch assigns a CoS value and generates an internal DSCP value from the CoS-to-DSCP map. The switch uses the internal DSCP value to generate a CoS value representing the priority of the traffic.

•Perform the classification based on a configured Layer 2 MAC access control list (ACL), which can examine the MAC source address, the MAC destination address, and other fields. If no ACL is configured, the packet is assigned 0 as the DSCP and CoS values, which means best-effort traffic. Otherwise, the policy-map action specifies a DSCP or CoS value to assign to the incoming frame.

For IP traffic, you have these classification options as shown in Figure 36-3:

•Trust the DSCP value in the incoming packet (configure the port to trust DSCP), and assign the same DSCP value to the packet. The IETF defines the 6 most-significant bits of the 1-byte ToS field as the DSCP. The priority represented by a particular DSCP value is configurable. DSCP values range from 0 to 63.

For ports that are on the boundary between two QoS administrative domains, you can modify the DSCP to another value by using the configurable DSCP-to-DSCP-mutation map.

•Trust the IP precedence value in the incoming packet (configure the port to trust IP precedence), and generate a DSCP value for the packet by using the configurable IP-precedence-to-DSCP map. The IP Version 4 specification defines the 3 most-significant bits of the 1-byte ToS field as the IP precedence. IP precedence values range from 0 for low priority to 7 for high priority.

•Trust the CoS value (if present) in the incoming packet, and generate a DSCP value for the packet by using the CoS-to-DSCP map. If the CoS value is not present, use the default port CoS value.

•Perform the classification based on a configured IP standard or an extended ACL, which examines various fields in the IP header. If no ACL is configured, the packet is assigned 0 as the DSCP and CoS values, which means best-effort traffic. Otherwise, the policy-map action specifies a DSCP or CoS value to assign to the incoming frame.

For information on the maps described in this section, see the “Mapping Tables” section on page 36-12. For configuration information on port trust states, see the “Configuring Classification Using Port Trust States” section on page 36-38.

Catalyst 3750-E and 3560-E Switch Software Configuration Guide

OL-9775-02 36-5