Patent ID: 7301898
Filing Date: 2007-11-27
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for managing credits in a Fibre Channel network having at least first and second devices linked by a port on each of said two devices, wherein a transmitter is on said first device and a receiver is on said second device, wherein on said second device, said receiver has control of a plurality of buffers and a plurality of credits representing said buffers, the method comprising the steps of: providing the control of the allocation of said credits to said transmitter; dividing said link into a plurality of virtual channels; allocating each virtual channel a minimum number of credits from said credits; reserving the remaining credits to a pool; allocating at least one credit in the pool to one virtual channel in use; and allocating one credit in the pool to a virtual channel through which a next frame is transmitted by the first device, wherein the next frame is determined by a priority scheme.