Method and system for controlling data flow through a multiport switch

A system for controlling data flow through a network device comprising:

• means for identifying a first flow and a second flow from a stream of network traffic, said first flow having a transmission characteristic that is different from said second flow;
• means for;
• identifying a first traffic control rule that applies to said first flow;
• identifying a second traffic control rule that applies to said second flow;
• and
• identifying a third traffic control rule that applies to said first flow and to said second flow;
• said means for identifying traffic control rules including pointers that map said first and second flows to respective chains of traffic control rules, with each subsequent traffic control rule in said respective chains being more generic than the previous traffic control rule in said respective chains;
• means for applying said first traffic control rule to said first flow in order to regulate bandwidth consumption by said first flow;
• means for applying said second traffic control rule to said second flow in order to regulate bandwidth consumption by said second flow;
• means for applying said third traffic control rule to said first flow and to said second flow on an aggregate basis, in order to regulate bandwidth consumption by both said first flow and said second flow.

A method for controlling data flow through a network device comprising the steps of:

• identifying a first flow of packets by accessing header information contained within said packets of said first flow;
• identifying a second flow of packets by accessing header information contained within said packets of said second flow;
• identifying traffic control rules that apply to said first flow of packets, wherein identifying traffic control rules that apply to said first flow of packets includes mapping said first flow of packets to a chain of traffic control rules with each subsequent traffic control rule in said chain being more generic than the previous traffic control rule in said chain, said first flow of packets being mapped to a first traffic control rule and then to a third traffic control rule;
• identifying traffic control rules that apply to said second flow of packets, wherein identifying traffic control rules that apply to said second flow of packets includes mapping said second flow of Packets to a chain of traffic control rules, with each subsequent traffic control rule in said chain being more generic than the previous traffic control rule in said chain, said second flow of packets being mapped to a second traffic control rule and then to a third traffic control rule;
• applying said first traffic control rule to said first flow of packets and determining if said first traffic control rule has been violated by a packet from said first flow of packets;
• applying said second traffic control rule to said second flow of packets and determining if said second traffic control rule has been violated by a packet from said second flow of packets;
• and
• applying said third traffic control rule to said first flow of packets and to said second flow of packets on an aggregate basis and determining if said third traffic control rule has been violated by said packet from said first flow of packets or by said packet from said second flow of packets.