135 results about "Active queue management" patented technology

Novel methods and devices are provided for AQM of input-buffered network devices. Preferred implementations of the invention control overall buffer occupancy while protecting uncongested individual VOQs. The probability of setting a “global drop flag” (which is not necessarily used to trigger packet drops, but may also be used to trigger other AQM responses) may depend, at least in part, on the lesser of a running average of buffer occupancy and instantaneous buffer occupancy. In some preferred embodiments, this probability also depends on the number of active VOQs. Moreover, a global drop flag is set in conjunction with a drop threshold M associated with the VOQs. Whether an AQM response is made may depend on whether a global drop flag has been set and whether a destination VOQ contains M or more packets. Different M values may be established for different classes of traffic, e.g., with higher M values for higher-priority traffic. AQM responses (e.g., to drop packets) may be taken more aggressively when there is a larger number of active VOQs.

The present invention provides methods and devices for implementing a Low Latency Ethernet (“LLE”) solution, also referred to herein as a Data Center Ethernet (“DCE”) solution, which simplifies the connectivity of data centers and provides a high bandwidth, low latency network for carrying Ethernet and storage traffic. Some aspects of the invention involve transforming FC frames into a format suitable for transport on an Ethernet. Some preferred implementations of the invention implement multiple virtual lanes (“VLs”) in a single physical connection of a data center or similar network. Some VLs are “drop” VLs, with Ethernet-like behavior, and others are “no-drop” lanes with FC-like behavior. Some preferred implementations of the invention provide guaranteed bandwidth based on credits and VL. Active buffer management allows for both high reliability and low latency while using small frame buffers. Preferably, the rules for active buffer management are different for drop and no drop VLs.

Novel methods and devices are provided for AQM of input-buffered network devices. Preferred implementations of the invention control overall buffer occupancy while protecting uncongested individual VOQs. The probability of setting a “global drop flag” (which is not necessarily used to trigger packet drops, but may also be used to trigger other AQM responses) may depend, at least in part, on the lesser of a running average of buffer occupancy and instantaneous buffer occupancy. In some preferred embodiments, this probability also depends on the number of active VOQs. Moreover, a global drop flag is set in conjunction with a drop threshold M associated with the VOQs. Whether an AQM response is made may depend on whether a global drop flag has been set and whether a destination VOQ contains M or more packets. Different M values may be established for different classes of traffic, e.g., with higher M values for higher-priority traffic. AQM responses (e.g., to drop packets) may be taken more aggressively when there is a larger number of active VOQs.

This disclosure relates to methods and systems for queuing traffic in packet-switched networks. In one of many possible embodiments, a queue management system includes a plurality of queues and a priority module configured to assign incoming packets to the queues based on priorities associated with the incoming packets. The priority module is further configured to drop at least one of the packets already contained in the queues. The priority module is configured to operate across multiple queues when determining which of the packets contained in the queues to drop. Some embodiments provide for hybrid queue management that considers both classes and priorities of packets.

An active queue management (AQM) process for network communications equipment. The AQM process is queue based and involves applying at a queue size threshold congestion notification to communications packets in a queue of a link via packet dropping; and adjusting said queue size threshold on the basis of the congestion level. The AQM process releases more buffer capacity to accommodate more incoming packets by increasing said queue size threshold when congestion increases; and decreases buffer capacity by reducing said queue size threshold when congestion decreases. Network communications equipment includes a switch component for switching communications packets between input ports and output ports, packet queues for at least the output ports, and an active queue manager for applying congestion notification to communications packets in the queues for the output ports via packet dropping. The congestion notification is applied at respective queue size thresholds for the queues, and the thresholds adjusted on the basis of the respective congestion levels of the queues of the output ports.