METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTED VIRTUAL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

• US 20120063312A1
• Filed: 09/10/2010
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Brolin, Stephen Joseph, Sarwar, Muhammad Sakhi, Zaringhalam, Ali, Mathews, Simmonds John, Boelens, Richard Charles, Schumeg, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 8,477,619 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 49/354 for supporting virtual local area networks [VLAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/505 Corrective measures

Abstract

According to one embodiment, methods and systems may be configured to support client-to-network, network-to-client, and network-to-network flows in a network element including multiple plug-in units. Such support may include policing and shaping flows as aggregates across plug-in units, combining outputs of two upstream traffic managers to network ports on two plug-in units, combining network flows that ingress two plug-in units, and shaping traffic to client ports.

Claims

1. A network element comprising:

a first plug-in unit comprising;

a first switching element; and

a first traffic manager comprising;

a first upstream traffic manager communicatively coupled to the first switching element; and

a first downstream traffic manager communicatively coupled to the first switching element; and

a second plug-in unit comprising;

a second switching element; and

a second traffic manager comprising;

a second upstream traffic manager communicatively coupled to the second switching element and the first upstream traffic manager; and

a second downstream traffic manager communicatively coupled to the second switching element and the first downstream traffic manager;

wherein;

the first upstream traffic manager is configured to;

receive flows from a first group of client ports on each of the first switching element and the second switching element;

police and shape flows from the first group of client ports; and

communicate the flows from the first group of client ports to one or more network ports;

the second upstream traffic manager is configured to;

receive flows from a second group of client ports on each of the first switching element and the second switching element;

police and shape flows from the second group of client ports; and

communicate the flows from the second group of client ports to one or more network ports;

the first downstream traffic manager is configured to;

receive flows from at least one of first network port coupled to the first switching element and a second network port coupled to the second switching element;

police and shape flows from at least one of the first network port and the second network port; and

communicate the flows from at least one of the first network port and the second network port to one or more client ports coupled to the first plug-in unit; and

the second downstream traffic manager is configured to;

receive flows from at least one of the first network port and the second network port;

police and shape flows from at least one of the first network port and the second network port; and

communicate the flows from the first network port and the second network port to one or more client ports coupled to the second plug-in unit.

2. A network element according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first group of client ports and the second group of client ports is a link aggregation group.

3. A network element according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first multiplexer configured to merge flows from the first upstream traffic manager and the second upstream traffic manager and communicate such merged flows to the first switching element; and

a second multiplexer configured to merge flows from the first upstream traffic manager and the second upstream traffic manager and communicate such merged flows to the second switching element.

4. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first upstream traffic manager, flows from a first group of client ports on each of a first switching element and a second switching element;

policing and shaping, at the first upstream traffic manager, flows from the first group of client ports;

communicating, from the first upstream traffic manager, the flows from the first group of client ports to one or more network ports;

receiving, at a second upstream traffic manager, flows from a second group of client ports on each of the first switching element and the second switching element;

policing and shaping, at the second upstream traffic manager, flows from the second group of client ports;

communicating, from the second upstream traffic manager, the flows from the second group of client ports to one or more network ports;

receiving, at a first downstream traffic manager flows from at least one of a first network port coupled to the first switching element and a second network port coupled to the second switching element;

policing and shaping, by the first downstream traffic manager, flows from at least one of the first network port and the second network port; and

communicating, from the first downstream traffic manager, the flows from at least one of the first network port and the second network port to one or more client ports coupled to the first switching element;

receiving, at a second downstream traffic manager flows from at least one of the first network port and the second network port;

policing and shaping, by the second downstream traffic manager, flows from at least one of the first network port and the second network port; and

communicating, from the second downstream traffic manager, the flows from at least one of the first network port and the second network port to one or more client ports coupled to the second switching element.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the first group of client ports and the second group of client ports is a link aggregation group.

7. A method according to claim 4, wherein:

the first upstream traffic manager and the first downstream traffic manager are integral parts of a first traffic manager; and

the second upstream traffic manager and the second downstream traffic manager are integral parts of a second traffic manager.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein:

the first traffic manager and the first traffic manager are integral parts of a first plug-in unit; and

the second traffic manager and the second traffic manager are integral parts of a second plug-in unit.

9. A system comprising:

logic for receiving, at a first upstream traffic manager, flows from a first group of client ports on each of a first switching element and a second switching element;

logic for policing and shaping, at the first upstream traffic manager, flows from the first group of client ports;

logic for communicating, from the first upstream traffic manager, the flows from the first group of client ports to one or more network ports;

logic for receiving, at a second upstream traffic manager, flows from a second group of client ports on each of the first switching element and the second switching element;

logic for policing and shaping, at the second upstream traffic manager, flows from the second group of client ports;

logic for communicating, from the second upstream traffic manager, the flows from the second group of client ports to one or more network ports;

logic for receiving, at a first downstream traffic manager flows from at least one of a first network port coupled to the first switching element and a second network port coupled to the second switching element;

logic for policing and shaping, by the first downstream traffic manager, flows from at least one of the first network port and the second network port; and

logic for communicating, from the first downstream traffic manager, the flows from at least one of the first network port to one or more client ports coupled to the first switching element;

logic for receiving, at a second downstream traffic manager flows from at least one of the first network port and the second network port;

logic for policing and shaping, by the second downstream traffic manager, flows from at least one of the first network port and the second network port; and

logic for communicating, from the second downstream traffic manager, the flows from at least one of the first network port and the second network port to one or more client ports coupled to the second switching element.

6. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

merging flows from the first upstream traffic manager and the second upstream traffic manager and communicate such merged flows to the first switching element; and

merging flows from the first upstream traffic manager and the second upstream traffic manager and communicate such merged flows to the second switching element.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the first group of client ports and the second group of client ports is a link aggregation group.

11. A system according to claim 9, further comprising:

logic for merging flows from the first upstream traffic manager and the second upstream traffic manager and communicating such merged flows to the first switching element; and

logic for merging flows from the first upstream traffic manager and the second upstream traffic manager and communicating such merged flows to the second switching element.

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein:

the first upstream traffic manager and the first downstream traffic manager are integral parts of a first traffic manager; and

the second upstream traffic manager and the second downstream traffic manager are integral parts of a second traffic manager.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein:

the first traffic manager and the first traffic manager are integral parts of a first plug-in unit; and

the second traffic manager and the second traffic manager are integral parts of a second plug-in unit.