Patent ID: 7630412

Claim:
A method comprising: configuring a first non-zero data rate for a first communication port associated with a first communication device, the first communication device having a first Ethernet port and the first communication port; configuring a second non-zero data rate for a second communication port associated with a second communication device, the second communication device having a second Ethernet port and the second communication port; and performing rate shaping with an Ethernet switch communicatively coupled to the first Ethernet port and the second Ethernet port, the Ethernet switch comprising a third Ethernet port to receive Ethernet frames, and wherein the Ethernet switch is to perform the rate shaping by: directing nth ones of the Ethernet frames to a first queue associated with the first Ethernet port; directing n-1 Ethernet frames preceding each of the nth ones of the Ethernet frames to a second queue associated with the second Ethernet port; and selecting a value of n based on a ratio of the first non-zero data rate and the second non-zero data rate, and based on a remaining capacity of the first queue, wherein the first and second communication devices are to collectively transport the Ethernet frames received at the third Ethernet port to a same customer premises and the first data rate is different from the second data rate.