Delaying layer 2 frame transmission

A method implemented in a first network switch used for forwarding data link frames, wherein said first network switch is used for interconnecting network nodes in a network, said method comprising:

• a) receiving a first data link frame;
• b) receiving at least one second data link frame;
• c) receiving a third data link frame from a second network switch, wherein said third data link frame does not contain layer 3 header, wherein said third data link frame does not contain data;
• and
• d) responding to said third data link frame by transmitting said at least one second data link frame to said second network switch before transmitting said first data link frame to said second network switch, wherein said first data link frame and said at least one second data link frame are transmitted from a network port in said first network switch to said second network switch, wherein said first data link frame is to be transmitted out of a first queue in said second network switch, wherein said at least one second data link frame is to be transmitted out of a second queue in said second network switch, wherein network load on said first queue is more than network load on said second queue when said third data link frame is sent from said second network switch.

A first network switch enabled for forwarding data link frames, wherein the first network switch is configured for interconnecting to other network nodes in a local area network, the first network switch further configured to:

• a) receive a first data link frame;
• b) receive at least one second data link frame;
• c) receive a first request in a third data link frame from a second network switch, wherein the third data link frame does not contain data, wherein the third data link frame does not contain network packet;
• and
• d) respond to the first request by transmitting the at least one second data link frame to the second network switch before transmitting the first data link frame to the second network switch, wherein the first data link frame and the at least one second data link frame are transmitted from a network port in the first network switch to the second network switch in an order different from the order in which the first data link frame and the at least one second data link frame were received by the first network switch.

A system in a network comprising a plurality of interconnected network nodes, wherein the network comprises a first network switch and a second network switch, wherein the first network switch and the second network switch are configured for interconnecting network nodes in the network and for forwarding data link frames, the first network switch is configured to:

• a) receive a first data link frame;
• b) receive at least one second data link frame;
• c) receive a third data link frame from the second network switch, wherein the third data link frame does not contain data, wherein the third data link frame does not contain network layer header;
• and
• d) respond to the third data link frame by transmitting the at least one second data link frame to the second network switch before transmitting the first data link frame to the second network switch, wherein a first queue in the second network switch is configured to be used for forwarding the first data link frame, wherein a second queue in the second network switch is configured to be used for forwarding the at least one second data link frame, wherein the first data link frame and the at least one second data link frame are configured to be transmitted from a network port in the first network switch to the second network switch.

A system configured for lowering congestion in a network, the system comprising:

• a) a first network switch configured to interconnect a plurality of network nodes in the network and to forward data link frames;
• the first network switch configured to receive a first data link frame and at least one second datalink frame;
• the first network switch configured to receive a first request in a third data link frame from a second network switch, wherein the third data link frame does not contain data, wherein the third data link frame does not contain network packet;
• and the first network switch responding to the first request by sending the at least one second data link frame before sending the first data link frame to the second network switch, wherein the first data link frame and the at least one second data link frame are transmitted from a network port in the first network switch to the second network switch, wherein the response to the first request causes reordering of data link frames sent from the first network switch to the second network switch;
• and
• b) the second network switch configured to interconnect a plurality of network nodes in the network and to forward data link frames;
• the second network switch configured to forward the first data link frame using a first queue in the second network switch and to forward the at least one second data link frame using a second queue in the second network switch, wherein the third data link frame is sent when network load on the first queue is higher than network load on the second queue.

A system comprising multiple interconnected network nodes, the system comprising a first network switch and a second network switch configured for interconnecting network nodes in a network and for forwarding data link frames;

• and the system configured to implement a method for congestion reduction in the network, the method comprising:
• a) the first network switch receiving a first data link frame;
• b) the first network switch receiving at least one second data link frame;
• c) the first network switch receiving a third data link frame, wherein the third data link frame does not contain data;
• wherein the third data link frame does not contain network layer header;
• and
• d) the first network switch responding to the third data link frame by transmitting the at least one second data link frame to the second network switch before transmitting by the first network switch the first data link frame to the second network switch, wherein the first data link frame and the at least one second data link frame are transmitted from a network port in the first network switch to the second network switch;
• e) the second network switch configured to use a first queue for forwarding the first data link frame;
• f) the second network switch configured to use a second queue for forwarding the at least one second data link frame;
• and
• g) the second network switch configured to send the third data link frame when the first queue is more loaded compared to the second queue.