Composite Queue Merging for High-Throughput Network Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Network devices face challenges in efficiently handling high throughput data transmission due to limitations in buffer capacity and queue management, particularly when some network interfaces are inactive, requiring higher speed memory or additional banks of memory to support increased transmission rates.
Innovation Solution
A network device combines queues from active and inactive network interfaces to form a composite queue that operates at higher speeds than individual queues, allowing for efficient data storage and retrieval without the need for higher speed memory or additional memory banks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If higher speed memory or additional memory banks are used to support increased transmission rates, then transmission speed is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple queues from different network interfaces into a single composite queue structure. When a network interface is inactive, its queue is combined with another active queue, allowing the active queue to operate at higher speeds without requiring separate high-speed memory for each interface. This consolidation achieves higher transmission rates while avoiding the complexity of configuring multiple high-speed memory banks.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate high-speed queues are maintained for each network interface, then each interface can operate independently, but buffer capacity is wasted when interfaces are inactive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic queue configuration where the system can adaptively combine or separate queues based on interface operational status. When an interface becomes inactive, its queue dynamically merges with another active queue. When the interface becomes active again, its queue can be restored. This dynamic behavior maintains interface independence when needed while optimizing buffer capacity utilization when interfaces are inactive.
Data Source
AI summary
A network device includes network interfaces, and respective sets of queues. The sets of queues includes a first set corresponding to a first network interface and a second set corresponding to a second network interface. The network device receives packets via network interfaces, and processes packets to determine network interfaces via which the packets are to be transmitted. When the first network interface is not being used by the network device, the network device operates a composite queue to store packets corresponding to the second network interface. The composite queue includes a first queue from the first set and a second queue from the second set. The network device stores packet data to and reads packet data from the composite queue at a rate that is greater than a maximum rate at which the first queue and the second queue are capable of storing and reading packet data.