Method for flow control of packets aggregated from multiple logical ports over a transport link

Abstract

A method is disclosed for controlling the flow of packets aggregated from multiple logical ports over a transport link. A directed flow control indicator is provided to the transmitting end station that causes a detected congestion condition. The directed flow control indicator causes the transmitting end station to suspend the transmission of further packets. The linear expansion header of the Generic Framing Procedure (GFP) linear mapping scheme is extended to include the flow control indicator, such as a bit that is set to a predefined binary value to indicate a potential overload condition. A directed flow control indication can be provided in one or more packets that are sent to the transmitting end station over the transport network without increasing the network overhead. If packets are not being sent to the appropriate transmitting end station, a packet generator can generate one or more packets with the flow control indicator to inform the appropriate transmitting end station of the congestion condition.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for controlling a flow of packets aggregated from a plurality of logical ports for transmission over a transport network to one or more destinations, said method comprising the steps of: 
 detecting a potential overflow condition in a buffer that stores packets for at least one of said one or more destinations; and    providing a directed flow control indicator to one of said logical ports that is a source of said potential overflow condition.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said directed flow control indicator is included in a header of a packet being sent to said one of said logical ports that is a source of said potential overflow condition.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said directed flow control indicator is a bit that is set in a header of a packet being sent to said one of said logical ports that is a source of said potential overflow condition.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said directed flow control indicator is a bit that is set in a header of each packet being sent to said one of said logical ports that is a source of said potential overflow condition for a predefined interval.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said directed flow control indicator is a bit that is set in a header of each packet being sent to said one of said logical ports that is a source of said potential overflow condition until said potential overflow condition is relieved.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said directed flow control indicator is a bit that is set to a predefined binary value in a linear expansion header of the Generic Framing Procedure (GFP) linear mapping scheme to indicate a potential overflow condition.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said detecting step further comprises the step of monitoring a maximum buffer level threshold.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said detecting step is performed by a GFP mapping function that maps between a constant bit stream on said transport network and asynchronous packets for delivery to said one or more destinations.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said directed flow control indicator causes said one of said logical ports that is a source of said potential overflow condition to suspend transmission of further packets for a predefined minimum interval  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said directed flow control indicator causes said one of said logical ports that is a source of said potential overflow condition to suspend transmission of further packets until notification that said potential overflow condition has been remedied.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said directed flow control indicator is mapped to a port-based pause indicator before being provided to said one of said logical ports that is a source of said potential overflow condition.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said directed flow control indicator is mapped to a logical port-based pause indicator before being provided to said one of said logical ports that is a source of said potential overflow condition.  
     
     
         13 . A flow control method performed by a gateway that aggregates packets from a first logical port with packet flows from additional logical ports for transmission over a transport network, said method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a directed flow control indicator over said transport network, said directed flow control indicator indicating that said first logical port is a source of a potential overflow condition; and    notifying said logical port that said logical port is a source of said potential overflow condition.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said logical port is an Ethernet port and said notifying step further comprises the step of generating a port-based pause frame that is sent to said Ethernet port.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said logical port is a logical channel and said notifying step further comprises the step of generating a logical port-based pause indicator that is provided to said logical channel.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said flow control indicator is included in a header of a packet being sent to said one of said logical ports that is a source of said potential overflow condition.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said flow control indicator is a bit that is set in a header of a packet being sent to said one of said logical ports that is a source of said potential overflow condition.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said directed flow control indicator causes said first logical port to suspend transmission of further packets for a predefined minimum interval  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said directed flow control indicator causes said first logical port to suspend transmission of further packets until a notification that said potential overflow condition has been remedied.