Overload conditions affecting a processor of a network switch or the like
are substantially eliminated, and the processing of traffic is gradually allowed
to increase, by inserting, and then monitoring one or more probes which are placed
into a queue of the processor. During a given measurement interval, if the number
of probes exceeds a threshold then an overload condition exists. This condition
is subsequently reduced using "multiplicative decrease" techniques. Conversely,
if the threshold is not exceeded and there is little or no chance an overload condition
can quickly reappear, traffic is allowed to once again be processed gradually using
"additive increase" techniques.
