Apparatus and method for generating flow control frames in a workgroup switch based on traffic contribution from a network switch port
US6115356A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 18, 1997 |
| Grant date | Sep 5, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 18, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L12/5602
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A network switch in a full-duplex IEEE 802.3 network includes a data monitor module that monitors data utilization between ports. Upon detection of a congestion condition in an output buffer, the data monitor module determines for each of the remaining network switch ports a traffic contribution relative to the total network traffic received by the one congested network switch port. The network switch includes a pause controller that generates pause control frames for the remaining network switch ports, where each pause control frame specifies a corresponding interval having a duration based on the traffic contribution by the corresponding network node. The outputting of a pause control frame to a network node based on the corresponding traffic contribution optimizes elimination of the congestion condition by prioritizing the generation of pause frames for the network node most responsible for creating the congestion condition. In addition, disruption of traffic is minimized in stations having little or no traffic contribution to the congested network switch port.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.