Traffic Management recommendations [closed]

What's your strategy towards traffic prioritization/management.

I am not really to just get a list of packet shaping solutions. Instead, I would like to get recommendations about traffic management strategies that include:

• What software/hardware products you use, or have used
• How this solution is/was implemented
• Why would you recommend (or not) this solution/strategy

Here are some solutions I've heard of, but haven't had much (if at all) experience with them:

• Linux Advanced Routing Traffic Contro (http://lartc.org/)
• Packeteer (http://www.bluecoat.com/products/packetshaper/specifications)
• NetEqualizer (http://www.netequalizer.com/nda.htm)
• Network Composer (http://www.cymphonix.com/Products.html)
• NetEnforcer (http://www.allot.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=45&Itemid=88888966)

Some notes:

• I'm debating myself whether or not to include pricing information
• This is assuming you have the NEED for traffic management

I like using squid with the delay pools option as a really simple starting point. The weakness of this solution is that it will only help with types of traffic that can be forced through the proxy.

To set it up you just put squid on your edge device configure as needed. The configure the clients for protocols that cannot be transparently intercepted.

There's a wonderful HowTo for Linux on advanced routing and traffic control. It includes a very nice section on bandwidth management by classifying traffic.