Patent ID: 6466579
Filing Date: 2002-10-15
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
In a switch for completing connections within a computer data network, said switch having a plurality of input ports and at least one output port, a method of buffering a connection, the method comprising the steps of:setting a partition within a shared output data buffer to a first position, the partition dividing storage area in the shared output buffer among a guaranteed data type and a non-guaranteed data type and thereby designating a maximum amount of the guaranteed data type the shared output buffer can store; estimating the ambient load of the guaranteed data type at a first connection establishment time, using the traffic parameters provided along with the connection setup request to calculate the estimated load on the shared output buffer; designating a guaranteed data type load high-tolerance level relative to the maximum and a guaranteed data type load low-tolerance level relative to the ambient load estimated at the first time; estimating the ambient load of the guaranteed data type at a second time as additional connections are subsequently added or deleted; and if the ambient load estimated at the second time is at least the load high-tolerance level, adjusting the partition to a second position, thereby decreasing the maximum amount of the non-guaranteed data type the shared output buffer can store; if the ambient load estimated at the second time is less than or equal to the load low-tolerance level, adjusting the partition to a third position, thereby increasing the maximum amount of the non-guaranteed data type the shared output buffer can store.