Method and system for priority enforcement with flow control

A computer-readable medium containing a program for controlling a plurality of pipes in a computer network including at least one processor for a switch, the at least one processor having a queue, the plurality of pipes utilizing the queue for transmitting traffic through the switch, the program including instruction for:

• (a) assigning each pipe a priority ranking class, wherein each class has a unique priority rank with respect to each of the other classes, said ranks ranging from a highest priority rank to a lowest priority rank;
• (b) calculating a transmission probability for each pipe responsive to its priority rank;
• (c) determining if excess bandwidth exists for the queue;
• (d) linearly increasing the transmission probability for each pipe if excess bandwidth exists or exponentially decreasing transmission probability for each pipe if excess bandwidth does not exist;
• (e) transferring a packet to the queue from a pipe responsive to the pipe transmission probability and priority rank.

A system for controlling a plurality of pipes in a computer network including a switch crossed by the plurality of pipes, the system comprising:

• (a) a queue connected to the plurality of pipes for transmitting traffic through the switch;
• (b) a priority mechanism configured to assign each pipe a priority ranking class, wherein each class has a unique priority rank with respect to each of the other classes, said ranks ranging from a highest priority rank to a lowest priority rank;
• (c) a mechanism for calculating a transmission probability for each pipe responsive to its priority rank;
• and
• (d) a mechanism for determining if excess bandwidth exists for the queue;
• wherein the mechanism for calculating a transmission probability for each pipe is configured to linearly increase the transmission probability for each pipe if excess bandwidth exists or exponentially decrease the transmission probability for each pipe if excess bandwidth does not exist, and wherein the system is configured to transfer a packet to the queue from a pipe responsive to the pipe transmission probability and priority rank.