Method for packet scheduling using multiple packet schedulers

A method for synchronizing multiple instances of network packet schedulers, the method comprising:

• selecting, by a first network packet scheduler, a first node of a plurality of nodes for each traffic class of a plurality of traffic classes defining a relative transmission priority of network packets;
• determining, by the first network packet scheduler, that the first node has a non-zero byte count of a total size of received network packets of a first traffic class of the plurality of traffic classes;
• and
• broadcasting, by the first network packet scheduler, a virtual packet for the first traffic class to each other network packet schedulers of a plurality of network packet schedulers to synchronize the plurality of network packet schedulers, responsive to the determination that the first node has a non-zero byte count.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of network packet schedulers executable on one or more devices comprising one or more processors, coupled to memory, wherein a first network packet scheduler of the plurality of network packet schedulers is configured to:
• receive, from each other network packet scheduler of the plurality of network packet schedulers, a virtual packet for each traffic class of the plurality of traffic classes defining relative transmission priority of network packets;
• receive a network packet of a first traffic class of the plurality of traffic classes;
• transmit each virtual packet into a virtual connection of a plurality of virtual connections created for each traffic class;
• schedule a network packet or a virtual packet as a next packet in a buffer for transmission;
• determine that the next packet in the buffer is a virtual packet used for synchronizing the plurality of network packet schedulers;
• and
• discard the virtual packet, responsive to a determining that the next packet in the buffer is a virtual packet.