METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A CLOCK FREQUENCY IN A NETWORK DEVICE BASED ON AGGREGATE THROUGHPUT OF THE DEVICE

• US 20090154350A1
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Frazier, Howard, Diab, Wael William
• Granted Patent: US 8,184,539 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/41 by acting on aggregated flows or links
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for controlling a clock frequency in a network device based on aggregate throughput of the device are provided. In this regard, for a network device comprising one or more network ports, a limit on aggregate throughput of the device during a time interval may be determined and an operating frequency of a clock within the network device may be controlled based on the determined limit on aggregate throughput. The limit on aggregate throughput may be determined based on past, present, and/or expected traffic patterns; how many of the device'"'"'s network ports are active during the time interval, a data rate at which each of the active network ports operates during the time interval; a type of data communicated via the network ports; and/or one or more applications running on the network device during the time interval.

Claims

1. A method for networking, the method comprising:

for a network device comprising one or more network ports, determining a limit on aggregate throughput of said network device during a time interval; and

responsive to said determined limit on aggregate throughput, controlling an operating frequency of a clock within said network device wherein said clock is utilized for processing ingress and/or egress data of said one or more network ports.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining said limit on said aggregate throughput based on past, present, and/or expected traffic patterns on said one or more network.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining said limit on said aggregate throughput based on how many of said one or more network ports are active during said time interval.

4. The method according to claim 3, comprising determining said limit on said aggregate throughput based on a data rate at which each of said active network ports operates during said time interval.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining said limit on said aggregate throughput based, at least in part, on a type of said ingress and/or egress data.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining said limit on said aggregate throughput, at least in part, on one or more applications running on said network device during said time interval.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said clock is utilized by one or more hybrids, transmitters, receivers, processors, and/or memory elements within said network device.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising controlling said operating frequency such that a ratio of said operating frequency and a maximum clock frequency is approximately equal to a ratio of said limit on said aggregate throughput and a maximum aggregate throughput supported by said network device.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said maximum aggregate throughput supported by said network device corresponds to each of said one or more network ports operating at a maximum data rate.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said maximum frequency of said clock is determined based on said maximum aggregate throughput supported by said network device.

11. The method according to claim 1, comprising controlling said operating frequency of said clock based on latency requirements of said ingress and/or egress data.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said network device communicates via said network ports utilizing Ethernet protocols.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein power consumption of said network device is managed utilizing one or more Energy Efficient Ethernet techniques.

14. A system for networking, the system comprising:

one or more circuits in a network device comprising one or more network ports, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to;

determine a limit on aggregate throughput of said network device during a time interval; and

responsive to said determined limit on said aggregate throughput, control an operating frequency of a clock within said network device wherein said clock is utilized for processing ingress and/or egress data of said one or more network ports.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to determine said limit on said aggregate throughput based on past, present, and/or expected traffic patterns on said one or more network ports.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to determine said limit on said aggregate throughput based on how many of said one or more network ports are active during said time interval.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to determine said limit on said aggregate throughput based on a data rate at which each of said active network ports operates during said time interval.

18. The system according to claim 14, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to determine said limit on said aggregate throughput based, at least in part, on a type of said ingress and/or egress data.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to determine said limit on said aggregate throughput based, at least in part, on one or more applications running on said network device during said time interval.

20. The system according to claim 14, wherein said clock is utilized by one or more hybrids, transmitters, receivers, processors, and/or memory elements within said network device.

21. The system according to claim 14, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to control said operating frequency such that a ratio of said operating frequency and said maximum frequency is approximately equal to a ratio of said limit on said aggregate throughput and a maximum aggregate throughput supported by said network device.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said maximum aggregate throughput supported by said network device corresponds to each of said one or more network ports operating at a maximum data rate.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein said maximum frequency of said clock is determined based on said maximum aggregate throughput supported by said network device.

24. The system according to claim 14, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to control said operating frequency of said clock based on latency requirements of said ingress and/or egress data.

25. The system according to claim 14, wherein said network device communicates via said network ports utilizing Ethernet protocols.

26. The system according to claim 14, wherein power consumption of said network device is managed utilizing one or more Energy Efficient Ethernet techniques.