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Weighted round robin (WRR) queuing is a way to schedule traffic from multiple queues: the scheduler visits queues in a repeating order and serves a configured amount of data from each nonempty queue. Weights influence how much service a queue gets relative to others, but the exact meaning of a weight depends on the scheduler’s implementation. A weight ratio by itself does not guarantee a particular delay or realized throughput.
How weighted round robin queuing works
A queue stores items as they arrive; a scheduler decides which queue supplies the next item for service. In packet scheduling, a classifier first assigns arriving packets to subqueues, which may represent traffic flows or classes. The classifier might use a hash or a differentiated services code point (DSCP). Packets within a subqueue may be stored in first-in, first-out order.
On dequeue, a WRR scheduler searches the subqueues in round-robin order. When it finds a nonempty one, it removes a specified quantum of data. The quantum is at least one packet and may be larger. The IETF describes WRR as a family of queuing approaches, rather than one universal rule for translating a weight into service. RFC 7806, section 2.2.2
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Suppose two queues stay backlogged and have weights of 2:1. If a particular scheduler assigns service opportunities in direct proportion to those weights, and every opportunity serves the same amount of data, the first queue gets about twice as many opportunities over a cycle. This is an illustrative model, not a promise that every WRR implementation will deliver twice the bandwidth.
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Implementations can differ in what a weight counts, how much data a turn serves, and how they handle packets of different sizes. For example, the WRR policy in RFC 5356 selects server-pool members by representing each member in a circular list in proportion to its weight divided by the sum of weights. In that policy, equal weights reduce to ordinary round robin. That is a pool-selection rule, not a definition of packet scheduling. RFC 5356, section 4.2
What WRR does—and does not—guarantee
A weight ratio describes relative scheduling policy; it is not, on its own, a fixed delay guarantee or a guaranteed throughput under every traffic condition. Delay depends on a queue’s parameters and occupancy as well as those of competing queues. A queue receiving packets more slowly than it can serve will tend to empty and experience nominal delay. If packets arrive at or faster than its departure rate, it tends to remain occupied and experience greater delay. A scheduler may also be configured to enforce minimum rates, maximum rates, or both. RFC 4594, section 1.4.1.2
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Another relevant design choice is whether the scheduler is work-conserving. A work-conserving queue tries to transmit whenever it has data and the interface is available. A non-work-conserving queue may pause even with data waiting, for example to cap service below the physical interface rate. Whether a specific system behaves this way depends on its design and configuration. RFC 7806, section 2.2
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How WRR differs from related terms
Round robin
Ordinary round robin gives queues cyclic turns without differentiated weights. In the RFC 5356 server-pool policy, setting all weights to 1 produces round robin.
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Weighted fair queuing
Weighted fair queuing (WFQ) is a separate rate-based queuing example discussed in RFC 4594. WRR and WFQ should not be used as synonyms: their precise behavior depends on the algorithms and implementation details involved. To compare schedulers, check what each one schedules, how it translates weights into service, its quantum, and how it treats empty or backlogged queues. RFC 4594
Active queue management
Scheduling decides which queued traffic gets service next. Active queue management (AQM) instead manages queue depth by marking or dropping packets; random early detection (RED) is one example discussed in RFC 4594. A device can use both functions, but they solve different problems.
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Linux CBQ
Linux class-based queuing (CBQ) is one implementation-specific example: its manual describes weighted round robin for link sharing among classes that have packets, with higher-priority classes considered before lower-priority ones. Classes can borrow bandwidth from siblings by default, subject to configuration. This describes CBQ behavior, not every WRR scheduler. Linux tc-cbq(8) manual
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What to check when evaluating a WRR scheduler
- Scheduled item: Determine whether it schedules packets, bytes, traffic classes, flows, or pool members.
- Weight rule: Find out whether weights determine packet opportunities, byte shares, or another implementation-specific measure.
- Quantum: Check how much data can be served in one turn and whether packet sizes change the effective share.
- Queue state: See what happens when a queue is empty and how the scheduler serves queues that remain backlogged.
- Rate limits: Check whether minimum rates, maximum rates, or both are configured.
- Interactions: Look for priority rules, borrowing, and work-conserving or non-work-conserving behavior.
- Delay conditions: Consider queue occupancy and competing traffic; weights alone do not establish latency.
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