# US 7,613,821 B1 · Arrangement for reducing application execution based on a determined lack of flow control credits for a network channel

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- Number: US 7,613,821 B1
- Document ID: US7613821B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 09/905,080
- Filed: 2001-07-16
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 2001-07-16
- Assignees: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
- Inventors: Yatin Acharya
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7613821B1

## CPC

- H04L 47/10: Flow control; Congestion control
- H04L 47/2475: for supporting traffic characterised by the type of applications
- H04L 47/39: {Credit based}
- H04L 49/112: Switch control, e.g. arbitration
- H04L 49/358: {Infiniband Switches}
- H04L 41/046: comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

An InfiniBand™ network node includes a network interface, a system memory, a memory controller configured for controlling access to the system memory, and a processor. The network interface is configured for outputting data packets according to a prescribed flow control protocol that specifies flow control resources. The network interface also is configured for outputting a data flow interruption request to the memory controller based on a determined depletion of the flow control resources. The memory controller, in response to reception of the data flow interruption request, restricts access to the system memory. Hence, the processor, in response to detecting the restricted access to the system memory, reduces execution of a prescribed application resource based on the determined depletion of the flow control resources. Hence, the supply of data for the data packets is reduced based on the reduced execution of the prescribed application resource, enabling flow control protocols to be maintained while preserving processor and memory resources for other application resources.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method in a network node, the method comprising:
detecting by a network interface in the network node a depletion of flow control resources representing a depletion of network bandwidth for a prescribed data stream;
outputting by the network interface a data flow interruption request based on the detected depletion of flow control resources; and
reducing, by a processor in the network node and based on the data flow interruption request, the prescribed data stream by reducing execution of a prescribed application resource configured for generating the prescribed data stream.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the network interface is configured for outputting the prescribed data stream according to InfiniBand™ protocol, the detecting step including detecting depletion of flow control credits, as the flow control resources, for a prescribed virtual lane.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the outputting step includes outputting the data flow interruption request to a memory controller configured for controlling access to system memory resources, the memory controller rendering unavailable the system memory resources for the prescribed application resource in response to reception of the data flow interruption request.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the reducing step includes halting execution of the prescribed application resource, based on a determined unavailability of the system memory resources.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, further comprising outputting by the network interface a resume data flow request based on a detected replenishment of the flow control resources for the prescribed data stream.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising resuming execution of the prescribed application resource based on the resume data flow request.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting step includes outputting the data flow interruption request to a memory controller in the network node and that is configured for controlling access to system memory resources in the network node, the memory controller rendering unavailable the system memory resources for the prescribed application resource in response to reception of the data flow interruption request.

### Claim 8

A network node comprising:
a network interface configured for detecting a depletion of flow control resources representing a depletion of network bandwidth for a prescribed data stream, the network interface configured for outputting a data flow interruption request based on the detected depletion of flow control resources; and
a processor configured for executing a prescribed application resource for generation of the prescribed data stream, the processor configured for reducing the prescribed data stream by reducing execution of the prescribed application resource, based on the data flow interruption request.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The network node of claim 8, further comprising a memory controller configured for controlling access to system memory resources, the memory controller configured for rendering unavailable the system memory resources for the prescribed application resource in response to reception of the data flow interruption request.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The network node of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured for reducing the execution of the prescribed application resource based on detecting the unavailability of the system memory resources.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The network node of claim 10, wherein the network interface is configured for outputting a resume data flow request based on a detected replenishment of the flow control resources for the prescribed data stream.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The network node of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured for resuming execution of the prescribed application resource based on the resume data flow request.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The network node of claim 8, wherein the network interface is configured for outputting the prescribed data stream according to InfiniBand™ protocol, the network interface configured for detecting depletion of flow control credits, as the flow control resources, for a prescribed virtual lane.