Supporting quality of service differentiation using a single shared buffer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, comprising:
- receiving a plurality of data packets at an ingress port of a network element, wherein each data packet of the plurality of data packets belongs to one of a plurality of classes;
transmitting a first portion of the plurality of data packets from the ingress port to a buffer maintained by an egress port of the network element based on a metering policy, wherein the buffer has four thresholds comprising an ON threshold, a LOW threshold, a HI threshold, and an OFF threshold, and wherein the transmitting further comprises;
responsive to the buffer being below the ON threshold, enabling transmission of classes of the plurality of classes;
responsive to the buffer being above the LOW threshold, enabling and disabling transmission of the plurality of classes of the plurality of data packets according to the metering policy using a plurality of weights;
responsive to the buffer being above the OFF threshold, disabling transmission of classes of the plurality of data packets; and
responsive to the buffer being below the HI threshold, enabling and disabling transmission of the plurality of classes of the plurality of data packets according to the metering policy using a plurality of weights;
fetching the first portion of the plurality of data packets from the buffer according to a scheduling policy; and
retaining a remaining portion of the plurality of data packets at the ingress port;
wherein the metering policy and the scheduling policy each have a plurality of weights associated with the plurality of classes and wherein a maximum credit for the plurality of classes is larger than a largest weight of the plurality of weights.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An example method, system, and switching element are provided and may provide for an egress port to be configured to receive a plurality of data packets, each of the plurality of data packets being a class of a plurality of classes. A buffer may communicate with the at least one data port interface. A memory management unit may be configured to enable and disable transmission of the plurality of classes of the plurality of data packets based on a metering policy; and place the plurality of data packets in the buffer.
10 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method, comprising:
-
receiving a plurality of data packets at an ingress port of a network element, wherein each data packet of the plurality of data packets belongs to one of a plurality of classes; transmitting a first portion of the plurality of data packets from the ingress port to a buffer maintained by an egress port of the network element based on a metering policy, wherein the buffer has four thresholds comprising an ON threshold, a LOW threshold, a HI threshold, and an OFF threshold, and wherein the transmitting further comprises; responsive to the buffer being below the ON threshold, enabling transmission of classes of the plurality of classes; responsive to the buffer being above the LOW threshold, enabling and disabling transmission of the plurality of classes of the plurality of data packets according to the metering policy using a plurality of weights; responsive to the buffer being above the OFF threshold, disabling transmission of classes of the plurality of data packets; and responsive to the buffer being below the HI threshold, enabling and disabling transmission of the plurality of classes of the plurality of data packets according to the metering policy using a plurality of weights; fetching the first portion of the plurality of data packets from the buffer according to a scheduling policy; and retaining a remaining portion of the plurality of data packets at the ingress port; wherein the metering policy and the scheduling policy each have a plurality of weights associated with the plurality of classes and wherein a maximum credit for the plurality of classes is larger than a largest weight of the plurality of weights. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A switching element for a network communications system, the switching element comprising:
-
an egress port; a buffer coupled to the egress port; and a memory management unit for controlling operation of the buffer, wherein the switching element is configured to; receive a plurality of data packets at an ingress port of the switching element, wherein each data packet of the plurality of data packets belongs to one of a plurality of classes; transmit a first portion of the plurality of data packets from the ingress port to a buffer maintained by an egress port of the network element based on a metering policy, wherein the buffer has four thresholds comprising an ON threshold, a LOW threshold, a HI threshold, and an OFF threshold, and wherein the transmitting further comprises; responsive to the buffer being below the ON threshold, enabling transmission of classes of the plurality of classes; responsive to the buffer being above the LOW threshold, enabling and disabling transmission of the plurality of classes of the plurality of data packets according to the metering policy using a plurality of weights; responsive to the buffer being above the OFF threshold, disabling transmission of classes of the plurality of data packets; and responsive to the buffer being below the HI threshold, enabling and disabling transmission of the plurality of classes of the plurality of data packets according to the metering policy using a plurality of weights; fetch the first portion of the plurality of data packets from the buffer according to a scheduling policy; and retain a remaining portion of the plurality of data packets at the ingress port; wherein the metering policy and the scheduling policy each have a plurality of weights associated with the plurality of classes and wherein a maximum credit for the plurality of classes is larger than a largest weight of the plurality of weights. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. Non-transitory tangible media having encoded thereon logic that includes instructions for execution and when executed by a processor operable to perform operations comprising:
-
receiving a plurality of data packets at an ingress port of a network element, wherein each data packet of the plurality of data packets belongs to one of a plurality of classes; transmitting a first portion of the plurality of data packets from the ingress port to a buffer maintained by an egress port of the network element based on a metering policy, wherein the buffer has four thresholds comprising an ON threshold, a LOW threshold, a HI threshold, and an OFF threshold, and wherein the transmitting further comprises; responsive to the buffer being below the ON threshold, enabling transmission of classes of the plurality of classes; responsive to the buffer being above the LOW threshold, enabling and disabling transmission of the plurality of classes of the plurality of data packets according to the metering policy using a plurality of weights; responsive to the buffer being above the OFF threshold, disabling transmission of classes of the plurality of data packets; and responsive to the buffer being below the HI threshold, enabling and disabling transmission of the plurality of classes of the plurality of data packets according to the metering policy using a plurality of weights; fetching the first portion of the plurality of data packets from the buffer according to a scheduling policy; and retaining a remaining portion of the plurality of data packets at the ingress port; wherein the metering policy and the scheduling policy each have a plurality of weights associated with the plurality of classes and wherein a maximum credit for the plurality of classes is larger than a largest weight of the plurality of weights. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification