Patent ID: 8379676

Claim:
A packet switch operating method comprising: a port of a packet switch receiving successive data packets from a data source external to the packet switch at a first rate, wherein the data packets are separated in time by at least a minimum gap; a modification module of the packet switch reducing lengths of the data packets received from the data source without altering individual payloads associated with the data packets, wherein the reducing comprises removing a tunnel tag associated with the data packets and adding a provisional tag configured to encapsulate both the tunnel tag and a user tag, wherein the tunnel tag is replaced by the provisional tag and the user tag is concealed from the packet switch by the provisional tag; the modification module transmitting the reduced length data packets on an internal link of the packet switch to a switch module of the packet switch at a second rate, the second rate being the same as the first rate due to the provisional tag and modification of gap duration between adjacent data packets; the modification module transmitting a control packet to the switch module on the link between two of the reduced length data packets without affecting the second rate, the control packet being configured to instruct the switch module to modify its behavior in response to receiving the control packet; and wherein both of the two reduced length data packets are separated in time on the link from the control packet by at least a standard Ethernet inter-frame gap and the two reduced length data packets are transmitted on the link closer in time to the transmitting of the control packet on the link than any other packet transmitted on the link.