Patent ID: 8897292

Claim:
A method implemented by a network element to provide scalable hierarchical traffic management (HTM) over a plurality of network layers for a network, the method including a set of steps comprising: receiving a plurality of data packets to be forwarded by the network element; storing the plurality of data packets in a set of queues; processing the plurality of data packets by a quick loopback batch scheduler to select a first data packet of the plurality of data packets to forward by applying priority rules for a subset of the plurality of network layers; placing the first data packet in a per priority first-in-first-out (FIFO) buffer that organizes data packets primarily by priority and secondarily by order of arrival; selecting a second data packet of the plurality of data packets from the per priority FIFO buffer by a straight priority arbiter that selects a data packet that has a first arrival for a highest priority in the per priority FIFO buffer such that each priority has a defined throughput; placing the second data packet in a mixed-priority FIFO buffer to be forwarded toward a destination of the second data packet; returning a per priority flow control value from the mixed-priority FIFO buffer to the per priority FIFO buffer to limit data packets having a low priority being selected by the straight priority arbiter; and forwarding data packets from the mixed-priority FIFO toward a respective destination through a rate limiter.