A network switch includes a media access controller (MAC) coupled to a plurality of ports, a receiver coupled to the MAC, and packet queuing control (PQC) coupled to the receiver. The PQC is configured to maintain a count of the number of receive packets stored in the receiver in each of a plurality of input buffers, each input buffer associated with one of the plurality of ports coupled to the MAC. The network switch also includes at least one output buffer operably connected to the input buffers.
1. A method comprising:
a) receiving a data packet at an input buffer of a receiver, the input buffer associated with a first port;
b) determining whether a number of data packets received at the input buffer of the receiver from the first port that are waiting to be switched to an output buffer of a network switch exceed a predetermined threshold, wherein the determining is performed by transmitting a second signal from the receiver to a packet queuing control (PQC); and determining at the PQC, based on the second signal, whether the number of data packets or an equivalent amount of data of the data packets received at the receiver from the first port that are waiting to be switched to an output buffer of the network switch exceed a predetermined threshold;
c) based on determining that a number of data packets received at the input buffer of the receiver from the first port that are waiting to be switched to an output buffer of the network switch exceed a predetermined threshold, transmitting a first signal from the network switch to a station coupled to the network switch directing the station to terminate the transmission of data packets to the network switch; and
d) transmitting an additional signal to the receiver if the number of data packets received at the receiver from the first port that are waiting to be switched to an output buffer of the network switch exceed the predetermined threshold, wherein the additional signal indicates that the data receive rate of the first port should be reduced.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: transmitting the additional signal as a third signal from the PQC to the receiver.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a second data packet at the input buffer associated with the first port if the number of data packets received at the receiver from the first port that are waiting to be switched to an output buffer of the network switch do not exceed the predetermined threshold.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
transferring at least a portion of the data packet to an output buffer associated with a select output port.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
maintaining a count, for each input port, of a number of data packets received at a corresponding input buffer are waiting to be switched to an output port of the network switch.
6. A network switch comprising: a media access controller (MAC) coupled to a plurality of ports; a receiver coupled to the MAC; and packet queuing control (PQC) coupled to the receiver, wherein the PQC is configured to maintain a count of the number of receive packets or an equivalent amount of data of the receive packets stored in the receiver in each of a plurality of input buffers, each input buffer associated with one of the plurality of ports coupled to the MAC; at least one output buffer operably connected to the input buffers; a transmitter that transmits a termination signal from the network switch to a station coupled to the network switch directing the station to terminate the transmission of data packets to the network switch if the count in the PQC exceeds a predetermined threshold; and wherein the PQC transmits an additional signal to the receiver if the number or the amount of data packets received at the receiver from the first port that are waiting to be switched to an output buffer of the network switch exceed the predetermined threshold, wherein the additional signal indicates that the data receive rate of the first port should be reduced.
7. The network switch of claim 6 wherein the receiver comprises: receiver control logic; and wherein the predetermined threshold for each input buffer corresponds to the size of the input buffer.
8. The network switch of claim 7 wherein the receiver control logic is configured to transmit a control signal to the PQC upon receiving packet data at a port.
9. The network switch of claim 6 wherein the PQC comprises: PQC control logic; and a plurality of counters corresponding to the plurality of input buffers, wherein each of the plurality of counters maintains a count of the number of data packets within a corresponding input buffer.
10. The network switch of claim 9 wherein each of the plurality of counters increments a count upon the corresponding input buffer receiving a data packet and decrements the count upon the corresponding input buffer forwarding a data packet to an output buffer.
11. The network switch of claim 8 wherein the PQC control logic is configured to transmit a control signal to the receiver upon the count of one or more of the counters exceeding a predetermined threshold.
12. The network switch of claim 11 wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the termination signal to a network station coupled to the network switch directing the network station to discontinue the transmission of data packets to the network switch.
13. The network switch of claim 11 wherein the PQC control logic is further configured to transmit the additional signal to the receiver upon the count of one or more of the counters falling below the predetermined threshold.
14. The network switch of claim 13 wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit another state of the termination signal or a different, separate signal to a network station coupled to the network switch directing the network station to continue the transmission of data packets to the network switch.
15. An arrangement for use in a network switch, comprising: a receiver that receives a data packet at an input buffer of a receiver, the input buffer associated with a first port; and a determination unit that determines whether a number of data packets or an equivalent amount of data of the data packets received at the receiver from the first port that are waiting to be switched to an output buffer of the network switch exceed a predetermined threshold; wherein the determination unit is configured to generate a first signal and transmit the first signal from the network switch to a station coupled to the network switch directing the station to terminate the transmission of data packets to the network switch if the number of data packets received at the receiver from the first port that are waiting to be switched to an output buffer of the network switch exceed a predetermined threshold; and a packet queuing control (PQC) configured to receive a second signal from the receiver, the PQC comprising a determination unit configured to, based on the second signal, determine whether the number of data packets received at the receiver from the first port that are waiting to be switched to an output buffer of the network switch exceed a predetermined threshold, wherein the PQC determination unit is configured to generate an additional signal and transmit the additional signal to the receiver if the number of data packets received at the receiver from the first port that are waiting to be switched to an output buffer of the network switch exceed the predetermined threshold, wherein the additional signal indicates that the data receive rate of the first port should be reduced.
16. The arrangement of claim 15 , wherein the additional signal is transmitted as a third signal from the PQC to the receiver if the number of data packets received at the receiver from the first port that are waiting to be switched to an output buffer of the network switch exceed the predetermined threshold, wherein the additional signal indicates that the data receive rate of the first port should be reduced.
17. The arrangement of claim 15 , further comprising a second data packet at the input buffer of the receiver associated with the first port if the number of data packets received at the receiver from the first port that are waiting to be switched to an output buffer of the network switch do not exceed the predetermined threshold.