Patent ID: 7391777

Claim:
A method of scheduling high-priority packets in a metro Ethernet switch, the method comprising the steps of: determining a maximum per-hop queuing delay allowed for at least two high-priority packets in a queue in the switch, wherein the maximum per-hop queuing delay for a particular one of said high-priority packets is a respective maximum per-hop queuing delay calculated dependent upon a number of hops in a label switched path (“LSP”) between the switch and a designated destination of the particular one of said high-priority packets and wherein said the respective maximum per-hop queuing delay is calculated only during set-up of the LSP and dependent upon a specified maximum end-to-end delay; determining which one of the at least two high-priority packets has a smallest node exit delay requirement, wherein a node exit delay requirement for a designated high-priority packet is the sum of the maximum per-hop queuing delay allowed for the designated high-priority packet and a time of entry at the switch for the designated high-priority packet; and scheduling the one of the at least two high-priority packets determined to have the smallest node exit delay requirement before the remaining ones of the at least two high-priority packets.