Importance

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Abstract

Apparatus and method for providing controlled Quality of Service over Ethernet-like links. Prioritised frames are allocated to transmission queues responsive to their priorities. Each queue has an associated subsidiary Ethernet MAC which transmits frames from its queue subject to a scheduler which selects from the set of MAC's according to a pre-determined algorithm. The multiple logical paths between corresponding pairs of transmitter and receiver subsidiary MAC's are preferably multiplexed over a single physical channel. If congestion occurs at the receiver, then Ethernet PAUSE frames may be sent back to the transmitter, directed to specific subsidiary MAC's--typically those with lower priority--to suspend transmission from the corresponding queue for a time period indicated in the PAUSE frame. In this way back pressure flow control may be applied selectively to so that large amounts of low priority traffic do not cause unnecessary delays to higher priority traffic.

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First Claim