Data link/physical layer packet buffering and flushing

An optical networking module comprising:

• an optical component configured to send and receive optical signals encoded with data transmitted through a coupled optical medium;
• an optical-electrical component coupled to the optical component configured to encode digital data onto optical signals and to decode encoded digital data on optical signals back into their digital forms;
• a data link/physical layer processing unit, coupled to the optical-electrical component and to a packet source/sink, including a buffering structure having at least a first FIFO storage structure configured to stage a selected one of undiverted ones of a plurality of ingress packets and undiverted ones of a plurality of egress packets, and first associated packet drop logic coupled to the first FIFO storage structure to selectively effectuate head or tail flush of the first FIFO storage structure;
• and
• a body encasing said optical component, said optical-electrical component, and said data link/physical processing unit as a single module.