Patent ID: 7546367

Claim:
A method to manage network traffic by multiple constraints, the method implemented in a computer-readable storage medium and adapted to process on a hardware device and comprising: identifying constraints associated with a network packet; assigning the network packet to a plurality of queues; forwarding the network packet to a first one of the queues; and releasing the network packet to each successive queue as a number of the constraints is satisfied, wherein each distinct one of the constraints is associated with a particular one of the queues and each distinct one of the constraints is used to control exiting of the network packet through each queue to which it is associated an on to a next one of the remaining queues, and wherein each queue has local priorities for that particular queue that permit the network packet and other packets within that particular queue to be reordered within that particular queue in response to the local priorities for that particular queue; adding a new constraint for managing the network packet while the network activity remains at a higher priority thereby slowing traversal of the network packet through a queue path associated with the queues; listening applications that listen for activity of the higher priority applications associated with the configuration policies and notify the traffic manager when activity is detected to thereby slow the progression of the network packets through the queue path in view of the higher priority applications.