Apparatus to flow control frames in a networked storage virtualization using multiple streaming protocols

An apparatus including a server for reducing data flow congestion when processing data between a plurality of devices connected via a network, said server comprising:

• a plurality of ports configured for ingress and egress of a plurality of data frames having a first format;
• a plurality of port manager processors, coupled to said plurality of ingress ports and said plurality of egress ports, said plurality of port manager processors being configured to translate said plurality of data frames between said first format and a second format, said plurality of port manager processors being further configured to detect first congestion and to control a first data flow of said plurality of data frames when said first congestion is detected;
• a plurality of traffic manager processors, coupled to said plurality of port manager processors, said plurality of traffic manager processors being configured to communicate said plurality of data frames with associated ones of said plurality of port manager processors, said plurality of traffic manager processors being further configured to detect second congestion and to control a second data flow of said plurality of data frames when said second congestion is detected;
• and
• a plurality of storage processors coupled together and coupled to said plurality of traffic manager processors, said plurality of storage processors being configured to direct said plurality of data frames according to an associated ingress port and an associated egress port of said plurality of ports, said plurality of storage processors being further configured to detect third congestion and to control a third data flow of said plurality of data frames when said third congestion is detected by communicating through an out-of-band signal to an opposite traffic manager processor carrying data flow contributing to said third congestion wherein the out-of-band signal instructs the opposite traffic manager to control the corresponding data flow associated with said opposite traffic manager.