Work out token bucket size instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
A token bucket refills at the committed rate and its depth determines how long traffic may exceed that rate. Two constraints apply: the bucket must hold the burst you want to permit, and it must hold at least one round trip of data — 1.5 round trips is a safer rule — so TCP's window growth is not mistaken for a violation.
Bucket sizing
burst bytes = rate x burst duration / 8; RTT bytes = rate x RTT / 8; recommended = max(2 x MTU, burst bytes, 1.5 x RTT bytes)
Normal TCP bursts are dropped, throughput collapses well below the committed rate, and the symptom looks like a slow link rather than a misconfigured policer.
Yes. A very deep bucket lets long bursts through at line rate, which defeats the purpose of rate limiting and can overwhelm downstream buffers.