Method and apparatus for dynamic traffic management with packet classification

1. A method comprising:

setting a packet size count threshold;

setting a packet size variation threshold;

comprising a packet size count against said packet size count threshold and generating a first result;

comparing a packet size variation against said packet size variation threshold and generating a second result; and

setting an arbitration mode based on a criteria selected from a group consisting of said first result, said second result, and a combination of said first result and said second result; and wherein said setting an arbitration mode is dynamically adjusting said arbitration mode.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said dynamically adjusting is dynamically adjusting in real time.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said dynamically adjusting in real time is based upon real time packet traffic.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said arbitration mode is selected from the group consisting of credit based arbitration and packet based arbitration.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising using one or more rules.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising recording a packet size.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising using a packet size register.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising using a packet size count register.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising using a packet size variation register.

10. The method of claim 5 further comprising using a packet rule checker.

11. A method comprising:

setting a packet size count threshold;

setting a packet size variation threshold;

comparing a packet size count against said packet size count threshold and generating a first result;

comparing a packet size variation against said packet size variation threshold and generating a second result; and

setting an arbitration mode based on a criteria selected from a group consisting of said first result, said second result, and a combination of said first result and said second result.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said setting an arbitration mode is setting an arbitration mode in real time based on received packets.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said received packets are from 1 to 35 dwords in size.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

storing packet sizes for received packets;

storing a packet size count for said received packets; and

storing a maximum packet size variation for said received packets.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of ingress ports, wherein each of said plurality of ingress ports has a plurality of ingress buffers;

a switch fabric having a plurality of crosspoint buffers, wherein one or more of said plurality of ingress orts is in operative communication with one or more of said plurality of crosspoint buffers;

a plurality of egress ports, wherein each of said plurality of egress ports has a plurality of egress buffers, wherein one or more of said plurality of egress ports is in operative communication with one or more of said plurality of crosspoint buffers;

an arbitration logic block for each column of said crosspoint buffers;

further comprising a set of packet size registers for each of said arbitration logic block for each column of said crosspoint buffers;

further comprising a packet size variation register for each of said arbitration logic block for each column of said crosspoint buffers;

further comprising a packet size count register for each of said arbitration logic block for each column of said crosspoint buffers;

further comprising a packet rule checker; and

wherein said packet rule checker selects packet based arbitration for a particular arbitration logic block for a particular column of said crosspoint buffers when for all said crosspoint buffers in said particular column a packet size count <=a packet size count threshold AND a packet size variation <=a packet size variation threshold, otherwise said packet rule checker selects credit based arbitration for said particular arbitration logic block for said particular column of said crosspoint buffers.