Patent ID: 7380019
Filing Date: 2008-05-27
Classification: H04L,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A system comprising: a first device; a second device; a plurality of paths each being connected between the first device and the second device; and a third device which is connected to the first device, wherein the first device transfers data, using a plurality of packets, to the second device across the plurality of paths, wherein each of the packets includes an address of the first device as a source address, an address of the second device as a destination address and a portion of the data to be transferred from the first device to the second device, wherein the number of packets transferred on each path of the plurality of paths is set according to a predetermined ratio for said each path, wherein said predetermined ratio for said each path defines an amount of packets to be allocated on said each path relative to a total amount of packets on all of the paths so that packets on said each path of the plurality of paths are adjusted relative to the packets on each of the other paths such that a total amount of packets across the plurality of paths carries sufficient data equal to a total of the data to be transferred from the first device to the second device, wherein when the third device detects congestion of packets on one path of the plurality of paths, the third device notifies the first device of the congestion on the one path, wherein the first device changes the predetermined ratio of each of the paths, thereby changing the amount of packets to be allocated to each of the plurality of paths, based on notification from said third device of the congestion on the one path, wherein the first device transfers data, using the packets, to the second device across the plurality of paths according to the changed predetermined ratio of each of the paths, wherein said first device and the second device are storage devices each having a disk drive for storing data, wherein the third device has information on the predetermined ratio and a change rate to be applied to the predetermined ratio of each of the paths to compute the changed predetermined ratio of each of the paths, when a change in the predetermined ratio of each of the oaths is required, said change rate being a predetermined minimum value the predetemined ratio is to be increased or decreased when changed, wherein the third device, when congestion on the one path has been detected, computes the changed predetermined ratio on each of the paths based on the change rate, and sends information on the changed predetermined ratio of each of the paths to the first device, and wherein the first device transfers data, using packets, to the second device across the plurality of paths based on the changed predetermined ratio of each of the paths.