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 method of controlling a rate of traffic injected into a network, the method comprising:
receiving a first feedback message from a congestion point of a network, the first feedback message comprising an Ethernet frame having embedded therein:
an instantaneous congestion value in a first field of the Ethernet frame;a congestion change value in a second field of the Ethernet frame, the second field being separate from the first field; anda congestion point identifier associated with the congestion point; calculating a rate control value based, at least in part, on the instantaneous congestion value and the congestion change value; and adjusting a flow rate of traffic addressed to the congestion point according to the rate control value.