Inter-device flow control
AssigneeMarvell International Ltd.
InventorsDonald Pannell, Hong Yu Chou
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A network switching device comprises first and second ports. A queue communicates with the second port, stores frames for later output by the second port, and generates a congestion signal when filled above a threshold. A control module selectively sends an outgoing flow control message to the first port when the congestion signal is present, and selectively instructs the second port to assert flow control when a flow control message is received from the first port if the received flow control message designates the second port as a target.
Claims50
A network switching device comprising:
- a first port and a second port, wherein said first port receives frames from a second network device that is distinct from said network switching device;
- a first queue that communicates with said second port, that stores said frames for later reception and output by said second port, and that generates a congestion signal when filled above a threshold;
- and
- a first control module that
- selectively sends an outgoing flow control message to said first port for transmission to said second network device when said congestion signal is present, and
- selectively instructs said second port to assert flow control when a flow control message is received from said first port if said received flow control message designates said second port as a target,
- wherein said first control module directs a copy of said frames received by said second port back to said first port when said frames received by said second port are non-flow control frames.
A method for operating a network switching device comprising:
- providing a first port and a second ports port, wherein said first port receives frames from a second network device that is distinct from said network switching device;
- storing said frames for later reception and output by said second port in a first queue
- generating a congestion signal when said first queue is filled above a threshold;
- selectively sending an outgoing flow control message to said first port for transmission to said second network device when said congestion signal is present;
- selectively instructing said second port to assert flow control when a flow control message is received from said first port if said received flow control message designates said second port as a target;
- and
- directing a copy of said frames received by said second port back to said first port when said frames received by said second port are non-flow control frames.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.