Patent ID: 6901452

Claim:
A data communication switch, comprising: a first network interface for: receiving a plurality of packets from a first network, wherein one or more of the packets comprises an included priority; determining a first priority based on the included priority for each of the plurality of packets; appending a priority select indicator comprising one or more bits to the plurality of packets, when the priority select indicator is assigned a first value or a second value depending on a first packet field; and transmitting the plurality of packets; a second network interface operatively coupled to the first network interface for: receiving the plurality of packets; selectively prioritizing each of the one or more packets as a function of the value of the priority select indicator, wherein the packet is prioritized in accordance with: the first priority if the value of the priority select indicator is the first value; a second priority if the value of the priority select indicator is the second value; and transmitting the one or more packets to a second network.