Dynamic adjust multicast drop threshold to provide fair handling between multicast and unicast frames

• US 20030212814A1
• Filed: 06/07/2002
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altima
• Inventors: Hao, Yi-Hsien, Tzeng, Shrjie
• Granted Patent: US 7,286,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/266 Stopping or restarting the source, e.g. X-on or X-off
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/29 using a combination of thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/30 in combination with information about buffer occupancy at either end or at transit nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/901 using storage descriptor, e.g. read or write pointers

Abstract

A network device for managing data flow can have a data port configured to receive data, a plurality of pointers for pointing to the data received, and a queue for queuing the plurality of pointers. The queue can be configured to have at least one dynamic threshold therein. Furthermore, the network device can have a control module configured to adjust the at least one dynamic threshold with respect to the data flow.

Claims

1. A method of managing data flow, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring a queue position with respect to the data flow in a network device;

adjusting at least one dynamic threshold when the queue position is at a predetermined threshold; and

implementing an action with respect to the data flow when the at least one dynamic threshold is adjusted.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting the at least one dynamic threshold further comprises:

adjusting the dynamic threshold when the predetermined threshold is greater than a first static threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of adjusting the at least one dynamic threshold further comprises:

adjusting the dynamic threshold from the first static threshold to a second static threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of implementing the action further comprises:

sending a pause frame from a receiving port.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of adjusting the at least one dynamic threshold further comprises:

adjusting the dynamic threshold wherein the first static threshold comprises a pause threshold.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of adjusting the at least one dynamic threshold further comprises:

adjusting the dynamic threshold wherein the second static threshold comprises an un-pause threshold.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of adjusting the at least one dynamic threshold further comprises:

adjusting the dynamic threshold wherein the dynamic threshold comprises a multicast drop threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

monitoring a data flow condition in the network device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of adjusting the at least one dynamic threshold further comprises:

adjusting the dynamic threshold when the predetermined threshold is lesser than a first static threshold, and when the data flow condition is a pause condition.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of adjusting the at least one dynamic threshold further comprises:

adjusting the dynamic threshold from the first static threshold to a second static threshold.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of implementing the action further comprises:

send an un-pause frame from a receiving port.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of adjusting the at least one dynamic threshold further comprises:

adjusting the dynamic threshold wherein the first static threshold comprises an un-pause threshold.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of adjusting the at least one dynamic threshold further comprises:

adjusting the dynamic threshold wherein the second static threshold comprises a pause threshold.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of adjusting the at least one dynamic threshold further comprises:

adjusting the dynamic threshold wherein the dynamic threshold comprises a multicast drop threshold.

15. A network device for managing data flow, said network device comprising:

a data port configured to receive data;

a buffer memory configured to buffer the data received;

a plurality of pointers for pointing to a section of the buffer memory;

a queue for queuing the plurality of pointers, said queue configured to have at least one dynamic threshold therein; and

a control module configured to adjust the at least one dynamic threshold with respect to the data flow.

16. The network device of claim 15, wherein the queue is further configured to include a first static threshold and a second static threshold.

17. The network device of claim 16, wherein the control module is configured to adjust the at least one dynamic threshold when a number of plurality of pointers in the queue is greater than the first static threshold.

18. The network device of claim 17, wherein the control module is configured to adjust the at least one dynamic threshold from the first static threshold to the second static threshold.

19. The network device of claim 18, wherein the data port is further configured to send a pause frame.

20. The network device of claim 18, wherein the queue is configured to include the first static threshold, said first static threshold comprising a pause threshold.

21. The network device of claim 18, wherein the queue is configured to include the second static threshold, said second static threshold comprising an un-pause threshold.

22. The network device of claim 18, wherein the control module is configured to adjust the at least one dynamic threshold, the dynamic threshold comprising a multicast drop threshold.

23. The network device of claim 16, wherein the control module is further configured to monitor a data flow condition.

24. The network device of claim 24, wherein the control module is configured to adjust the at least one dynamic threshold when a number of the plurality of pointers in the queue is less than the first static threshold, and when the data flow condition is a pause condition.

25. The network device of claim 24, wherein the control module is configured to adjust the at least one dynamic threshold from the first static threshold to the second static threshold.

26. The network device of claim 25, wherein the data port is further configured to send an un-pause frame.

27. The network device of claim 25, wherein the queue is configured to include the first static threshold, said first static threshold comprising an un-pause threshold.

28. The network device of claim 25, wherein the queue is configured to include the second static threshold, said second static threshold comprising a pause threshold.

29. The network device of claim 25, wherein the control module is configured to adjust the at least one dynamic threshold, the dynamic threshold comprising a multicast drop threshold.

30. A system for managing data flow, said system comprising:

a monitoring means for monitoring a queue position with respect to the data flow in a network device;

an adjusting means for adjusting at least one dynamic threshold when the queue position is at a predetermined threshold; and

an implementing means for implementing an action with respect to the data flow when the at least one dynamic threshold is adjusted.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the adjusting means adjusts the at least one dynamic threshold when the predetermined threshold is greater than a first static threshold.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the adjusting means adjusts the at least one dynamic threshold from the first static threshold to a second static threshold.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the implementing means implements the action by sending a pause frame.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the adjusting means adjusts the at least one dynamic threshold such that the first static threshold comprises a pause threshold.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the adjusting means adjusts the at least one dynamic threshold such that the second static threshold comprises an un-pause threshold.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the adjusting means adjusts the at least one dynamic threshold such that the dynamic threshold comprise a multicast drop threshold.

37. The system of claim 30, further comprising:

a monitoring means for monitoring a data flow condition in the network device.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the adjusting means adjusts the at least one dynamic threshold when the predetermined threshold is less than a first static threshold, and when the data flow condition is a pause condition.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the adjusting means adjusts the at least one dynamic threshold from the first static threshold to a second static threshold.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the implementing means implements the action by sending an un-pause frame.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the adjusting means adjusts the at least one dynamic threshold such that the first static threshold comprises an un-pause threshold.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein the adjusting means adjusts the at least one dynamic threshold such that the second static threshold comprises a pause threshold.

43. The system of claim 39, wherein the adjusting means adjusts the at least one dynamic threshold such that the dynamic threshold comprises a multicast drop threshold.