A method and a network node for traffic shaping of a packet switched network is presented, the network node being arranged for processing packets to be transmitted in the network according to at least: a serial packet processing algorithm A.sub.ser providing a synchronized utilization of a set of at least one processing unit; and a parallel packet processing algorithm A.sub.par providing an at least partly unsynchronized utilization of the set of at least one processing unit; wherein the processing of the packets corresponds to a total packet cost, which is cooperatively shared by the at least one processing unit of the set. The method further includes: determining, when the processing according to the parallel packet processing algorithm A par is used for processing the packets, if shares of the total packet cost for one or more of the at least one processing units exceed a capacity to process packets for the at least one processing units, respectively, wherein each one of the shares corresponds to one or more packet; and switching from the processing according to the parallel packet processing algorithm A.sub.par to processing according to the serial packet processing algorithm A.sub.ser if the shares of the total packet cost for one or more of the at least one processing units, respectively, is determined to exceed the capacity.

An improved autonegotiation approach includes determining that a negotiated rate between a first network device and a second network device exceeds data transfer capacity over a network path downstream of the second network device. In response, a configuration message is generated and transmitted to the first network device. When received by the first network device, the configuration message causes the first network device to limit data transfer between the first network device and the second network device to no more than the downstream data transfer capacity.

A user traffic generation method includes receiving a user traffic generation instruction, performing, in response to the user traffic generation instruction and index information pre-stored in an on-chip static random access memory (SRAM) of a field programmable gate array, a prefetch operation and a cache operation on a user packet that is stored in a dynamic random access memory DRAM and indicated by the index information, and generating user traffic at a line rate of the user packet that is cached during the cache operation. The on-chip SRAM is configured to store index information of all user packets that need to be used. The DRAM is configured to store all the user packets.

Minimum guaranteed wireless network bandwidth is provided to client network devices by monitoring the performance of network connections to identify client network devices experiencing network congestion. Congested network connections are then analyzed to determine the source of the network congestion. Depending upon the source of the network congestion, an embodiment of the invention may undertake steps to either improve the quality of the network connection or to mitigate the impact of this network connection on other network connections. High quality network connections may be allocated additional bandwidth, airtime, or other resources to reduce the network congestion. Low quality network connections are not allocated additional bandwidth, airtime, or other resources. Instead, the impact of this network connection on the other network connections is mitigated. Additionally, the low quality network connection may be transferred to another wireless networking device that may be able to provide a better quality network connection.

Stateless and reliable load balancing using segment routing and an available side-channel may be provided. First, a non-SYN packet associated with a connection may be received. The non-SYN packet may have first data contained in an available side-channel. Next an associated bucket may be retrieved based on a hash of second data in the non-SYN packet. The associated bucket may identify a plurality of servers. Then a one of the plurality of servers may be selected based on the first data contained in the available side-channel.

A network element connects over a network to a network node via a member link of a Multi-ChassisLink Aggregation Link Group (MC-LAG), and further connects, using inter-peer ports, to peer network elements coupled to the network node via other MC-LAG member links. A processor of the network element is configured to receive from the network first packets destined to the network node, to receive via the inter-peer ports information indicative of second packets received from the network by the peer network elements that are destined to the network node, to select at least some of the first packets for transmission at an egress rate that jointly with egress rates of the peer network elements does not exceed a predefined MC-LAG maximal rate, based on the first packets and the information, and to transmit the selected first packets to the network node at the egress rate.

A network element connects over a network to a network node via a member link of a Multi-ChassisLink Aggregation Link Group (MC-LAG), and further connects, using inter-peer ports, to peer network elements coupled to the network node via other MC-LAG member links. A processor of the network element is configured to receive from the network first packets destined to the network node, to receive via the inter-peer ports information indicative of second packets received from the network by the peer network elements that are destined to the network node, to select at least some of the first packets for transmission at an egress rate that jointly with egress rates of the peer network elements does not exceed a predefined MC-LAG maximal rate, based on the first packets and the information, and to transmit the selected first packets to the network node at the egress rate.

An apparatus, such as a network element, comprises a receiver to receive a plurality of packets. A memory stores instructions and forms a first and second set of virtual queues to store the plurality of packets. A processor having one or more cores with one or more packet classifiers provides a classification of a packet in the plurality of packets. The processor in communication with the memory executes instructions to transfer the packet from the receiver to a virtual queue in the first set of virtual queues based on the classification. The processor also transfers the packet from the virtual queue to a transmitter based on a demand rate value and supply rate value associated with the virtual queue.

A digital data communications network that supports efficient, scalable routing of data and use of network resources by combining a recursive division of the network into hierarchical sub-networks with repeating parameterized general purpose link communication protocols and an addressing methodology that reflects the physical structure of the underlying network hardware. The sub-division of the network enhances security by reducing the amount of the network visible to an attack and by insulating the network hardware itself from attack. The fixed bandwidth range at each sub-network level allows quality of service to be assured and controlled. The routing of data is aided by a topological addressing scheme that allows data packets to be forwarded towards their destination based on only local knowledge of the network structure, with automatic support for mobility and multicasting. The repeating structures in the network greatly simplify network management and reduce the effort to engineer new network capabilities.

A method for transmitting packets includes: determining, by a transmitting device based on a length of a packet, whether a quantity of tokens in a first token bucket meets a requirement for transmitting the packet, where a token injection rate of the first token bucket is set based on bandwidth of a first link. If the quantity of tokens in the first token bucket meets the requirement for transmitting the packet, a quantity of tokens required for transmitting the packet is obtained, and the packet is transmitted using the first link. If the quantity of tokens in the first token bucket does not meet the requirement for transmitting the packet, determining whether a second link is congested. If the second link is not in a congested state, the transmitting device transmits the packet by using the second link.