A METHOD AND AN ARRANGEMENT FOR MANAGING PACKET QUEUES IN SWITCHES

摘要

The invention relates to a method and means for managing packet queues in switches. The switch has a shared memory split in a small internal memory an d a large external memory. There is limited bandwidth to the external memory. The method comprises the steps of dividing a data stream incoming on the inp ut ports intended for respective output ports into two parts, of which the firs t part is to be sent to an internal queue belonging to at least one output por t and the second part is to be sent to the external memory. The incoming data stream may be identified as belonging to flow groups and the division of the data stream is then performed e.g. such that flow groups with a higher priority than a division threshold are sent to said internal queues in the first part, while flow groups with priority lower than said threshold are se nt to the external memory in the second part.