Patent ID: 8738825

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving (i) a first plurality of data packets and (ii) a second plurality of data packets, wherein each data packet of the first plurality of data packets is assigned a first priority, and wherein each data packet of the second plurality of data packets is assigned a second priority that is lower than the first priority; based on receiving the first plurality of data packets, controlling transmission of the first plurality of data packets to (i) prevent transmission of the first plurality of data packets between a server blade and a switching module during a first off-time period and (ii) permit transmission of one or more of the first plurality of data packets between the server blade and the switching module during a first on-time period, wherein a first time period is substantially equal to a sum of (i) a duration of the first on-time period and (ii) a duration of the first off-time period; based on receiving the second plurality of data packets, controlling transmission of the second plurality of data packets to (i) prevent transmission of the second plurality of data packets between the server blade and the switching module during a second off-time period and (ii) permit transmission of one or more of the second plurality of data packets between the server blade and the switching module during a second on-time period, wherein a second time period is substantially equal to a sum of (i) a duration of the second on-time period and (ii) a duration of the second off-time period; and based on the first priority being higher than the second priority, controlling (i) the first off-time period, (ii) the first on-time period, (iii) the second off-time period and (iv) the second on-time period, such that the first time period is smaller than the second time period.