METHODS AND DEVICES FOR BACKWARD CONGESTION NOTIFICATION

摘要

The present invention provides improved methods and devices for managing network congestion. Preferred implementations of the invention allow congestion to be pushed from congestion points in the core of a network to reaction points, which may be edge devices, host devices or components thereof. Preferably, rate limiters shape individual flows of the reaction points that are causing congestion. Parameters of these rate limiters are preferably tuned based on feedback from congestion points, e.g., in the form of backward congestion notification (“BCN”) messages. In some implementations, such BCN messages include congestion change information and at least one instantaneous measure of congestion. The instantaneous measure(s) of congestion may be relative to a threshold of a particular queue and/or relative to a threshold of a buffer that includes a plurality of queues.

主权项

1. A congestion management method, comprising:
detecting network congestion at a first congestion point of a network; identifying a congested entity of the network; calculating feedback information pertaining to the congested entity; sampling a first frame received from a reaction point; sending a first feedback message to the reaction point of the network, the reaction point being associated with one or more traffic flows causing the congestion, at least in part, the feedback message including the feedback information and identity data for the congested entity; sampling a second frame received from the reaction point; determining whether the second sampled frame includes responsive data that identifies the first congestion point in response to the first feedback message; and sending a second feedback message to a source of the second sampled frame, wherein the second feedback message is sent at least in part according to whether the second sampled frame includes responsive data that identifies the first congestion point in response to the first feedback message.