Network switch fabric configured to weight traffic

• US 20040213266A1
• Filed: 04/23/2004
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alcatel USA Sourcing L.P. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel Ip Networks Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Lindberg, Craig, Noll, Mike, Duggal, Akhil, Komidi, Srinivas, Jones, Thomas Carleton, Willhite, Nelson, Martin, Robert Steven
• Application Number:
  US10/831,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20040213266A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.43
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/26 using explicit feedback to the source, e.g. choke packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/50 Queue scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/101 using crossbar or matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/1523 Parallel switch fabric planes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/20 Support for services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/30 Peripheral units, e.g. input or output ports

Abstract

Network traffic switching comprises: for each of a plurality of classes, specifying a next queue to be serviced within that class, selecting from among the classes a next class to be serviced, and sending data from the next queue of the next class to be serviced via an egress link.

Claims

1. A method of switching network traffic, comprising:

a) for each of a plurality of classes, specifying a next queue to be serviced within that class;

b) selecting from among the classes a next class to be serviced; and

c) sending data from the next queue of the next class to be serviced via an egress link.

2. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein each class has associated with it one or more queues.

3. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein each class has associated with it one or more queues and each of said one or more queues is associated with a physical source of data.

4. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein each class has associated with it one or more queues and each of said one or more queues is associated with a logical source of data.

5. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein each class has associated with it one or more queues and each of said one or more queues is configured to buffer data having an attribute associated with the queue.

6. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 5, wherein the data is determined to have the attribute associated with a particular queue by evaluating at least a portion of the data.

7. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 5, wherein the data is determined to have the attribute associated with a particular queue by reading a value in a header portion of a cell comprising the data.

8. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein each class comprising the plurality of classes is associated with a different priority level.

9. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 1, further comprising repeating a)-c) to send more data via the egress link.

10. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein the next queue to be serviced is specified according to a scheduling process.

11. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein the next queue to be serviced is specified according to a weighted scheduling process.

12. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein the next queue to be serviced is specified according to a weighted round robin scheduling process.

13. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein the next queue to be serviced is specified according to a weighted round robin scheduling process having a plurality of weights, and wherein each of the plurality of weights is associated with a data source.

14. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein the next queue to be serviced within a class is specified independently of other classes.

15. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein the next class to be serviced is selected according to a scheduling process.

16. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein the next class to be serviced is selected according to a weighted round robin scheduling process having a plurality of weights.

17. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein the next class to be serviced is selected according to a weighted round robin scheduling process in which each of the plurality of classes is assigned a corresponding weight.

18. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 1, further comprising observing input from a plurality of sources and adjusting a parameter associated with a queue scheduling process in response to the observation.

19. A method of switching network traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein the next queue to be serviced is specified according to a queue scheduling process and the next class to be serviced is selected according to a class scheduling process;

and wherein the queue scheduling process and the class scheduling process are configured to fulfill a service level agreement.

20. A network switch fabric system, comprising:

a plurality of queues;

a processing component coupled to the plurality of queues, configured to;

for each of a plurality of classes, specify a next queue to be serviced within that class;

select from among the classes a next class to be serviced; and

send data from the next queue of the next class to be serviced via an egress link.

21. A computer program product for switching traffic, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

a) for each of a plurality of classes, specifying a next queue to be serviced within that class;

b) selecting from among the classes a next class to be serviced; and

c) sending data from the next queue of the next class to be serviced via an egress link.