Resource scheduling algorithm in packet switched networks with multiple alternate links
AssigneeCompaq Computer Corporation
InventorsNaresh Patel, Karim Harzallah
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for scheduling packets between multiple links of an adaptive set utilizes a destination register or a cache line associated with each of the alternate links of the network switch. Each of the cache lines holds the destination of the last packet that used the link. Upon arrival, a packet associatively checks the content of all cache lines. If it hits, then it uses the corresponding link; otherwise, the packet is scheduled according to a round-robin policy or other default policy.
Claims7
In a network for transmitting data between source and destination nodes, with the network including multiple hubs, each having a plurality of I/O ports for coupling communication links together, with the network transmitting data as packets having a destination address and a data section, with a plurality of the communication links being pipe links that together form a pipe between a pair of hubs to increase bandwidth between the hubs, a system for scheduling the pipe links, said system comprising:
- a plurality of destination registers corresponding to the pipe links, each destination register for storing a destination of the last packet that used the pipe link corresponding to the destination register;
- and
- a scheduling controller, coupled to said plurality of destination registers, for determining the pipe link on which to transmit a received packet, with the scheduling controller for checking the destination registers and, if the destination stored in a particular destination register is the same as the destination address of the received packet then transmitting the packet on the pipe link corresponding to the particular destination register.
A network for transmitting data between source and destination nodes, with the network comprising:
- multiple hubs, each having a plurality of I/O ports for coupling communication links together, with the network transmitting data as packets having a destination address and a data section, with a plurality of the communication links being pipe links that together form a pipe between a pair of hubs to increase bandwidth between the hubs, a system for scheduling the pipe links;
- a plurality of destination registers corresponding to the pipe links, each destination register for storing a destination of the last packet that used the pipe link corresponding to the destination register;
- and
- a scheduling controller, coupled to said plurality of destination registers, for determining the pipe link to which on which to transmit a received packet, with the scheduling controller for checking the destination registers and, if the destination stored in a particular destination register is the same as the destination address of the received packet then transmitting the packet on the pipe link corresponding to the particular register.
A method implemented in a network for scheduling links in a set of links coupling multiple hubs, each hub having a plurality of I/O ports for coupling communication links together, with the network transmitting data as packets having a destination address and data section, with a plurality of the communication links being pipe links that together form a pipe between a pair of hubs to increase bandwidth between the hubs, said method comprising the steps of:
- storing as destination data the identity of the last packet that uses each pipe link;
- when a new packet is received, checking the destination data to determine whether a destination of the new packet matches destination data;
- and
- if yes, routing the new packet on the same pipe link used by a previous packet routed to the same destination.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.