Flow based rate limit

A method comprising:

• receiving a flow rate limit for a flow;
• assigning, by a transmit pipeline, a dedicated transmit queue to the flow based on a destination of the flow;
• communicating the dedicated transmit queue to a source of the flow;
• transmitting packets of the flow from the dedicated transmit queue;
• and
• allocating, by a scheduler, a flow transmit bandwidth to the dedicated transmit queue to enforce the flow rate limit for the flow.

A system comprising:

• one or more processors for implementing a tenant process acting as a source of a flow;
• and
• a network interface card including:
• a memory;
• a transmit pipeline coupled to the memory, the transmit pipeline to:
• assign at least one of a plurality of transmit queues to the flow as a dedicated transmit queue based on a destination of the flow,
• communicate the dedicated transmit queue to the tenant process, and
• transmit packets of the flow from the dedicated transmit queue;
• and
• a scheduler coupled to the transmit queues, the scheduler to allocate a flow transmit bandwidth to the dedicated transmit queue to enforce the flow rate limit for the flow.