Claims
- 1. A method of managing data flow, the method comprising the steps of:
requesting for at least one pointer in a first counter from at least one receiving port in a network device; recording the at least one pointer in a second counter when at least one plural cast frame is received in the at least one receiving port; and monitoring the second counter with respect to the data flow in the network device.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of requesting for the at least one pointer further comprises:
requesting for at least one buffer pointer such that the buffer pointer represents a section of a frame buffer memory in the network device.
- 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of requesting for the at least one buffer pointer further comprises:
requesting for at least one reserved buffer pointer reserved for the at least one receiving port.
- 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of requesting for the at least one buffer pointer further comprises:
requesting for at least one free buffer pointer from a free pointer pool in the first counter.
- 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
granting at least one reserved pointer reserved for the at least one receiving port when available; and granting at least one free pointer from a free pointer pool when the at least one reserved pointer is unavailable, and when a total number of pointers corresponding to the at least one receiving port in the first counter is less than a threshold in the first counter.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of recording further comprises:
recording the at least one pointer in a second counter when the plural cast frame is buffered in a section of a frame buffer memory, wherein the section is represented by the at least one pointer.
- 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of recording further comprises:
recording the at least one pointer in the second counter when a total number of recorded pointers corresponding to the at least one receiving port in the second counter is less than a first threshold in the second counter.
- 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of recording further comprises:
recording the at least one pointer in the second counter when the total number of recorded pointers corresponding to the at least one receiving port in the second counter equals to or is less than a second threshold in the second counter, and when the at least one receiving port is receiving the plural cast frame.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of recording further comprises:
recording the at least one pointer in the second counter wherein the plural cast frame comprises a multicast frame, a broadcast frame and a destination-lookup-failure frame.
- 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring step further comprises the step of:
sending a first instruction with respect to the plural cast frame to the at least one receiving port when a second number of total recorded pointers recorded in the second counter with respect to the at least one receiving port equals to or is greater than a first threshold in the second counter.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the monitoring step further comprises the step of:
sending a second instruction with respect to the plural cast frame to the at least one receiving port when the second number of total recorded pointers recorded in the second counter with respect to the at least one receiving port equals to or is less than a second threshold in the second counter, and when a first number of total recorded pointers recorded in the first counter with respect to the at least one receiving port equals to or is less than a third threshold in the first counter, and when the first instruction is in force.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the monitoring step further comprises the step of:
dropping the plural cast frame when the second number of total recorded pointers recorded in the second counter with respect to the at least one receiving port equals to or is greater than a fourth threshold in the second counter.
- 13. A network device for managing data flow, said network device comprising:
at least one receiving port configured to receive data; a first counter configured to monitor at least one pointer; a second counter configured to record the at least one pointer to correspond to the at least one receiving port therein when the at least one receiving port receives the data comprising a plural cast frame; and a control module configured to at least monitor the second counter with respect to the data flow of the network device.
- 14. The network device of claim 13, wherein the at least one receiving port is configured to request for the at least one pointer.
- 15. The network device of claim 13, wherein the first counter is configured to grant the at least one pointer, the at least one pointer comprises one reserved buffer pointer reserved for the at least one receiving port, when available.
- 16. The network device of claim 15, wherein the first counter is configured to grant the at least one pointer, the at least one pointer comprises one free buffer pointer from a free pointer pool when the at least one reserved buffer pointer is not available, and when a total number of pointers corresponding to the at least one receiving port is less than a threshold therein.
- 17. The network device of claim 13, wherein the second counter is configured to record the at least one pointer when the plural cast frame is buffered in a buffer memory, the at least one pointer represents a section of the buffer memory.
- 18. The network device of claim 17, wherein the second counter is configured to record the at least one pointer when a total number of pointers recorded therein with respect to the at least one receiving port is less than a first threshold therein.
- 19. The network device of claim 18, wherein the second counter is configured to record the at least one pointer when the total number of pointers recorded therein with respect to the at least one receiving port equals to or is less than a second threshold therein, and when the at least one receiving port is receiving the plural cast frame.
- 20. The network device of claim 19, wherein the second counter is configured to record the at least one pointer wherein the plural cast frame comprises a multicast frame, a broadcast frame and a destination-lookup-failure frame.
- 21. The network device of claim 13, wherein the control module is configured to send a first instruction with respect to the plural cast frame to the at least one receiving port when a second number of total recorded pointers recorded in the second counter with respect to the at least one receiving port equals to or is greater than a first threshold in the second counter.
- 22. The network device of claim 21, wherein the control module is configured to send a second instruction with respect to the plural cast frame to the at least one receiving port when the second number of total recorded pointers recorded in the second counter with respect to the at least one receiving port equals to or is less than a second threshold in the second counter, and a first number of total recorded pointers recorded in the first counter with respect to the at least one receiving port equals to or is less than a third threshold in the first counter, and when the first instruction is in force.
- 23. The network device of claim 22, wherein the control module is configured to drop the plural cast frame when the second number of total recorded pointers recorded in the second counter with respect to the at least one receiving port equals to or is greater than a fourth threshold in the second counter.
- 24. A system for managing data flow, said system comprising:
a means for requesting at least one pointer in a first counter from at least one receiving port in a network device; a means for recording the at least one pointer in a second counter when at least one plural cast frame is received in the at least one receiving port; and a means for monitoring the second counter with respect to the data flow in the network device.
- 25. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for requesting requests for at least one buffer pointer such that the buffer pointer represents a section of a frame buffer memory in the network device.
- 26. The system of claim 25, wherein the means for requesting requests for at least one reserved buffer pointer reserved for the at least one receiving port.
- 27. The system of claim 25, wherein the means for requesting requests for at least one free buffer pointer from a free pointer pool in the first counter.
- 28. The system of claim 24, further comprising:
a means for granting at least one reserved pointer reserved for the at least one receiving port when available, and for granting at least one free pointer from a free pointer pool when the at least one reserved pointer is unavailable, and when a total number of pointers corresponding to the at least one receiving port in the first counter is less than a threshold in the first counter.
- 29. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for recording records the at least one pointer in a second counter when the at least one plural cast frame is buffered in a section of a frame buffer memory, wherein the section is represented by the at least one pointer.
- 30. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for recording records the at least one pointer in the second counter when a total number of recorded pointers corresponding to the at least one receiving port in the second counter is less than a first threshold in the second counter.
- 31. The system of claim 30, wherein the means for recording records the at least one pointer in the second counter when the total number of recorded pointers corresponding to the at least one receiving port in the second counter equals to or is less than a second threshold in the second counter, and when the at least one receiving port is receiving the plural cast frame.
- 32. The system of claim 31, wherein the means for recording records the at least one pointer in the second counter wherein the plural cast frame comprise a multicast frame, a broadcast frame and a destination-lookup-failure frame.
- 33. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for monitoring further comprises:
a means for sending a first instruction with respect to the plural cast frame to the at least one receiving port when a second number of total recorded pointers recorded in the second counter with respect to the at least one receiving port equals to or is greater than a first threshold in the second counter.
- 34. The system of claim 33, wherein the means for monitoring further comprises:
a means for sending a second instruction with respect to the plural cast frame to the at least one receiving port when the second number of total recorded pointers recorded in the second counter with respect to the at least one receiving port equals to or is less than a second threshold in the second counter, and when a first number of total recorded pointers recorded in the first counter with respect to the at least one receiving port equals to or is less than a third threshold in the first counter, and when the first instruction is in force.
- 35. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for monitoring further comprises:
a means for dropping the plural cast frame when the second number of total recorded pointers recorded in the second counter with respect to the at least one receiving port equals to or is greater than a fourth threshold in the second counter.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Applications Ser. No. 60/378,666, filed May 9, 2002. The contents of the provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60378666 |
May 2002 |
US |