Controlling command message flow in a network

A method for controlling command message flow in a network including a server and a client comprising the steps of:

• including a command window field indicating a command window size that specifies a maximum number of command messages that may be outstanding at the server, in each of at least some messages sent from the server to the client;
• modifying the command window size at the server in accordance with available server resources for receiving said command messages;
• when there are insufficient resources at the server to process a particular one of the command messages delivered to the server, then:
• sending a pause message to the client indicating the particular command message cannot be received, wherein indicating the particular command message in the pause message allows the client to later resume sending by starting with the particular command message;
• storing indicia indicating the particular command message that is initially discarded;
• and
• discarding subsequent said command messages delivered to the server until the initially discarded particular command message is again delivered to the server.

A method for controlling command message flow in a network including a server and a client comprising the steps of:

• sending a plurality of command messages from the client to the server;
• receiving, from the server, a message containing a command window size that specifies a maximum number of said command messages that may be outstanding at the server;
• receiving a pause message at the client indicating a particular one of the command messages that cannot be processed, wherein the pause message is sent by the server when there are insufficient resources at the server to process the particular command message;
• ceasing sending said command messages from the client when a number of outstanding command messages is at least equal to the maximum number of messages indicated by the command window size;
• and
• when the number of outstanding said command messages is less than the maximum number indicated by the command window size, then resuming sending said command messages from the client to the server, starting with the articular command message that was indicated by the pause message.

A method for controlling command message flow in a network including a server and a client comprising the steps of:

• including a command window field indicating a command window size that specifies a maximum number of command messages that may be outstanding at the server, in each of at least some messages sent from the server to the client;
• setting an initial command window size via a message from the server to the client during connection establishment therebetween;
• modifying the command window size at the server in accordance with available server resources for receiving said command messages;
• sending a plurality of said command messages from the client to the server in client command message order until the number of outstanding command messages is equal to the maximum number indicated by the command window size;
• establishing command order at the server based on the order in which said command messages are delivered to the server;
• when there are insufficient resources at the server to process a particular one of the command messages delivered to the server, then:
• sending a pause message to the client indicating said particular command message that cannot be processed;
• storing indicia indicating the particular command message initially discarded;
• and
• discarding subsequent said command messages delivered to the server until the initially discarded said particular command message is again delivered to the server;
• ceasing sending said command messages from the client when the number of outstanding command messages is at least equal to the maximum number of messages indicated by the command window size;
• when the number of outstanding command messages is less than the maximum number indicated by the command window, then resuming sending said command messages from the client to the server, starting with the command message indicated by the pause message, and proceeding to process received command messages in the client command message order;
• and
• when said particular command message is again delivered to the server, then resuming processing of delivered command messages if sufficient server resources are available.

A system for controlling command message flow in a network, comprising:

• a client;
• and
• a server to include a command window field indicating a command window size that specifies a maximum number of command messages that may be outstanding at the server, in each of at least some of the messages sent from the server to the client over the network;
• wherein:
• an initial command window size is set via a message from the server to the client during connection establishment therebetween;
• the command window size at the server is modified in accordance with available server resources for receiving said command messages;
• the client to send a plurality of said command messages to the server over the network in client command message order until the number of outstanding command messages is equal to the maximum number indicated by the command window size;
• wherein command order at the server is established based on the order in which said command messages are delivered to the server;
• when there are insufficient resources at the server to process a particular one of the command messages delivered to the server, the server to:
• send a pause message to the client indicating whish said particular command message that cannot be processed;
• store indicia indicating the particular command message initially discarded;
• and
• discard subsequent said command messages delivered to the server until the initially discarded said particular command message is again delivered to the server;
• the client to cease sending said command messages to the server when the number of outstanding command messages is at least equal to the maximum number of messages indicated by the command window size;
• when the number of outstanding command messages is less than the maximum number indicated by the command window size, the client to resume sending said command messages from the client to the server, starting with the particular command message indicated by the pause message;
• and
• when the initially discarded said command message is again delivered to the server, then the server to resume processing of delivered command messages if sufficient server resources are available.