What feature was introduced in DOCSIS 1.1 to manage quality of service (QoS)?

The introduction of service flow in DOCSIS 1.1 was a significant advancement for managing quality of service (QoS) in broadband networks. Service flow refers to a unidirectional "pipe" of data that can be established for each type of service or application, allowing network operators to allocate resources based on the specific needs of different traffic types. This provides a way to guarantee bandwidth and prioritize certain types of traffic to ensure that high-priority applications, such as VoIP or video streaming, receive the necessary bandwidth they require for optimal performance.

By facilitating the management of QoS, service flow allows for a more organized and efficient transmission of data, ensuring that latency-sensitive data can be delivered promptly while still being able to manage and support other types of traffic. This contributes to a better overall user experience, especially as the reliance on bandwidth-intensive applications continues to grow.

In contrast, the other options, while relevant in the context of network management, are broader concepts that do not specifically focus on the QoS architecture introduced in DOCSIS 1.1. For instance, packet prioritization and bandwidth allocation are general practices used in various networking contexts, and traffic shaping refers to the broader manipulation of data flows within a network but does not capture