Method and apparatus of virtual class of service and logical queue representation through network traffic distribution over multiple port interfaces

In a network device associated with a network, a method comprising;

• providing a plurality of physical output ports for transmission of network traffic, wherein a first physical output port and a second physical output port are capable of being arranged as an external link aggregated interface, wherein at least one of the first or second physical output ports is based on a networking standard, the external link aggregated interface configured to represent the first physical output port and the second physical output port as a virtual port;
• associating with the first physical output port:
• a first set of physical queues for holding units of network traffic prior to transmission through the first physical output port, and
• a first transmit scheduler configured to schedule transmission of the units of network traffic from the first set of physical queues through the first physical output port;
• associating with the second physical output port:
• a second set of physical queues for holding units of network traffic prior to transmission through the second physical output port, and
• a second transmit scheduler configured to schedule transmission of the units of network traffic from the second set of physical queues through the second physical output port, wherein the first and second transmit schedulers coordinate scheduling of the first and second physical output ports of the virtual port to manage transmission of the units of network traffic, and wherein the first and second transmit schedulers are capable of operating independently of each other;
• defining a plurality of logical queues associated with the first physical output port and the second physical output port;
• and
• scheduling transmission of units of network traffic associated with the plurality of logical queues to the plurality of physical output ports associated with the virtual port based on a classification of each of the units, such that a plurality of units of network traffic associated with a first of the plurality of logical queues are scheduled to the first set of physical queues and the second set of physical queues associated with the first physical output port and the second physical output port, respectively, for transmission as further scheduled by the first and second transmit schedulers through the first and second physical output ports, respectively, as the virtual port.

In a network device associated with a network, a method for managing network traffic, the method comprising:

• classifying units of network traffic;
• associating the units of network traffic with a plurality of logical queues based on the classification of the units of network traffic;
• scheduling the classified units of network traffic associated with a first of the plurality of logical queues to a first set of physical queues and a second set of physical queues associated with a first physical output port and a second physical output port, respectively, the first and second physical output ports being capable of being arranged as an external link aggregated interface which represents the first and second physical output ports as a virtual port, wherein at least one of the first or second physical output ports is based on a networking standard;
• scheduling the classified units of network traffic from the first set of physical queues through the first physical output port using a first transmit scheduler;
• scheduling the classified units of network traffic from the second set of physical queues through the second physical output port using a second transmit scheduler;
• and
• coordinating scheduling of the first and second physical ports of the virtual port using the first and second transmit schedulers to manage transmission of the classified units of network traffic;
• wherein the first and second transmit schedulers are capable of operating independently of each other.

A network device associated with a network, the network device comprising:

• an external link aggregated interface configured to represent a first physical output port and a second physical output port of the network device as an external virtual port, wherein at least one of the first or second physical output ports is based on a networking standard;
• a plurality of logical queues associated with the external virtual port of the network device;
• a logical scheduler configured to schedule transmission of units of network traffic associated with a first of the plurality of logical queues to a first set of physical queues and a second set of physical queues associated with the first physical output port and the second physical output port, respectively, for transmission through the first and second physical output ports independently of each other as the external virtual port;
• a first transmit scheduler configured to schedule transmission of the units of network traffic from the first set of physical queues through the first physical output port;
• and
• a second transmit scheduler configured to schedule transmission of the units of network traffic from the second set of physical queues through the second physical output port;
• wherein the first and second transmit schedulers coordinate scheduling of the first and second physical output ports of the virtual port to manage transmission of the units of network traffic, and wherein the first and second transmit schedulers are capable of operating independently of each other.

A method for scheduling units of network traffic for transmission through a virtual port of a network device, the method comprising:

• receiving units of network traffic;
• associating the units of network traffic with a plurality of logical queues for transmission according to a quality of service level assigned to each of the units of network traffic;
• scheduling the units of network traffic associated with the plurality of logical queues to a plurality of output ports, the plurality of output ports including a first output port and a second output port arranged as an external link aggregated interface which represents the first and second output ports as a virtual port, such that a plurality of the units associated with a first of the plurality of logical queues is scheduled to a first set of physical queues and a second set of physical queues associated with the first output port and the second output port, respectively, for transmission as further scheduled by first and second transmit schedulers through the first and second output ports, respectively, arranged as the virtual port, wherein at least one of the first or second output ports is based on a networking standard;
• scheduling transmission of the units of network traffic from the first set of physical queues through the first output port using the first transmit scheduler;
• scheduling transmission of the units of network traffic from the second set of physical queues through the second output port using the second transmit scheduler, wherein the first and second transmit schedulers are capable of operating independently of each other;
• and
• coordinating scheduling of the first and second output ports of the virtual port using the first and second transmit schedulers to manage transmission of the units of network traffic.