Patent ID: 8520522
Filing Date: 2013-08-27
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: receiving, by a network device, a stream of packets for outputting on a particular port; assigning, by the network device, each packet in the stream of packets to one of multiple buffer queues associated with the particular port; generating, by the network device and based on the assigning, packet counts for the multiple buffer queues; aggregating, by the network device and to create a first priority aggregated count, a first set of packet counts of the packet counts, aggregating, by the network device and to create a second priority aggregated count, a second set of packet counts of the packet counts, determining, by the network device, whether the first priority aggregated count exceeds a first flow-control threshold that is associated with the first group of buffer queues; determining, by the network device, whether the second priority aggregated count exceeds a second flow-control threshold that is associated with the second group of buffer queues; and sending, by the network device and to an upstream queue scheduler, one or more flow control signals when the first priority aggregated count exceeds the first flow-control threshold or when the second priority aggregated count exceeds the second flow-control threshold.