A signature-based traffic classification method maps traffic into
preselected classes of service (CoS). By analyzing a known corpus of data
that clearly belongs to identified ones of the preselected classes of
service, in a training session the method develops statistics about a
chosen set of traffic features. In an analysis session, relative to
traffic of the network where QoS treatments are desired (target network),
the method obtains statistical information relative to the same chosen
set of features for values of one or more predetermined traffic
attributes that are associated with connections that are analyzed in the
analysis session, yielding a statistical features signature of each of
the values of the one or more attributes. A classification process then
establishes a mapping between values of the one or more predetermined
traffic attributes and the preselected classes of service, leading to the
establishment of QoS treatment rules.