Quality of Service (QoS) in MikroTik RouterOS: An Overview

Quality of Service (QoS) is a crucial aspect of network management, ensuring that network traffic is prioritized and controlled efficiently. In this blog post, we will discuss the implementation of QoS in MikroTik RouterOS, focusing on its main phases and features.

QoS Marking

The first phase in QoS implementation is marking packets with specific Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) values. These values help identify the priority levels of packets, allowing for better traffic management.

QoS Profile Matching

Incoming packets are matched with their corresponding QoS profiles based on their DSCP values. The assigned QoS profiles determine the egress header alternation, which plays a significant role in network performance.

QoS Enforcement

The QoS enforcement phase focuses on avoiding or resolving congestion based on the assigned QoS profiles and traffic shaping. This phase was introduced in RouterOS v7.13 for certain switch chips and extended to all capable switch chips starting from RouterOS v7.15.

QoS Policy

QoS profiles can be assigned via Access Control Lists (ACL) rules, which were introduced in RouterOS v7.15. This allows for more granular control over network traffic and prioritization.

Additional Features

MikroTik RouterOS also supports additional QoS features, including Weighted Random Early Detection (WRED), Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN) processing, and Hierarchical Token Bucket (HTB) implementation.

Conclusion

By understanding and implementing QoS in MikroTik RouterOS, network administrators can ensure that their networks operate efficiently and effectively. The ability to prioritize and control network traffic is essential for maintaining a high-performing network infrastructure.

If you're interested in implementing QoS in your MikroTik network, consider exploring the MikroTik RouterOS documentation and seeking guidance from experienced network administrators. Together, we can create a more efficient and reliable network infrastructure.