Patent ID: 8687491
Filing Date: 2014-04-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: receiving a traffic flow of data packets by a processing device resident in an in-line network device via a bi-directional port resident in the in-line network device, wherein the in-line network device includes a plurality of bi-directional ports; transmitting, by the processing device, the traffic flow of data packets to a switch resident in the in-line network device; determining, by the switch, whether the switch has sufficient input capacity available to enable receipt of the transmitted data packets; rejecting, by the switch, the transmitted data packets based on a determination that the input capacity at the switch is insufficient; continuing to receive the traffic flow of data packets when the switch rejects the transmitted data packets by transmitting, via the processing device, the rejected data packets to a memory; receiving and storing the rejected data packets by the memory; determining, by the switch, after an interval of time whether the switch has sufficient input capacity available to enable receipt of the transmitted data packets; transmitting, by the switch, a message to the processing device indicating that the switch has sufficient input capacity available to enable receipt of the transmitted data packets; retrieving, by the processing device, the stored data packets from the memory responsively to the message; transmitting, by the processing device, the retrieved data packets to the switch; and accepting, by the switch, the transmitted data packets.