Network system with color-aware upstream switch transmission rate control in response to downstream switch traffic buffering

摘要

A network system ( 10 ). The system comprises a first network node (N₆), and the node comprises an input ( 30 _IN) for receiving packets. During operation, the first network node operates as a downstream node when receiving packets at the input from an upstream node (N₅). The node also comprises a buffer ( 30 ), coupled to the input and for storing received packets, and circuitry ( 32 ) for detecting when a number of packets stored in the buffer exceeds a buffer storage threshold. The node also comprises circuitry ( 32 ), responsive to a detection by the circuitry for detecting that the number of packets stored in the buffer exceeds the buffer storage threshold, for issuing a message to the upstream node. The message selectively commands the upstream node to reduce a rate of transmission of packets from the upstream node to the downstream node to a non-zero rate.