Patent ID: 8379515

Claim:
A network device for managing a communications over a network, comprising: a buffer for use in receiving and storing network packets; and a management component that is programmed to perform actions, including: receiving a network packet; monitoring changes in an amount of content stored in the buffer; selectively adjusting a delay for sending an acknowledgement (ACK) to the received network packet based on the monitored changes in the buffer, wherein selectively adjusting includes: the management component determining that the contents of the buffer are above a threshold value, and determining that the contents of the buffer are increasing, and when both determinations are valid, then increasing the delay of sending the ACK to a sending network device of the received network packet; the management component determining that the contents of the buffer are above a threshold value, and determining that the contents of the buffer are decreasing, and when both determinations are valid, then decreasing the delay of sending the ACK to the sending network device of the received network packet; and selectively forwarding the network packet to a destination.