Patent ID: 7830793

Claim:
A method for processing more than one type of network traffic in a single network device, the method comprising: partitioning buffers of the network device into first buffer spaces for storing frames received on a first virtual lane of a physical link of the network device and second buffer spaces for storing frames received on a second virtual lane of the physical link of the network device; receiving a plurality of frames into the physical link of the network device, wherein each frame indicates either a first virtual lane or a second virtual lane based on whether or not, respectively, the frame indicates a protocol that recovers from dropping of frames; and for each received frame, applying either a first set of rules or a second set of rules with respect to the received frame based on whether the received frame specifies the first virtual lane or the second virtual lane, respectively, wherein the first set of rules causes the received frame to be dropped or stored in the first buffer based on whether or not, respectively, the first buffer spaces has been filled a predetermined amount, wherein the second set of rules inhibit dropping of the received frame and causes the received frame to be stored in the second buffer spaces in response to latency.