Patent ID: 6661803
Filing Date: 2003-12-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A network switch comprising a plurality of receive ports for receiving addressed data packets and a plurality of transmit ports for forwarding the addressed data packets and means responsive to data in said packets for directing received packets to said transmit ports, said switch including in respect of at least one of said transmit ports:a respective bandwidth controller for at least one selected packet type, said bandwidth controller including: means for altering an aggregate count in a first sense in response to the sizes of packets of said one type destined for said one transmit port; means for continually altering said aggregate count in a second sense opposite said first at a selectable rate; means for making a comparison of said aggregate count with a threshold; and means responsive to said comparison for initiating discard of packets of said one type before they can be forwarded from said one transmit port such as to limit the proportion of available bandwidth occupied by packets of said one type in respect of said one transmit port.