Positive feedback ethernet link flow control for promoting lossless ethernet

1. An Ethernet node, comprising:

a receiver for coupling to an Ethernet link for receiving Ethernet frames from a remote Ethernet node at a remote end of the Ethernet link; and

a transmitter for coupling to the Ethernet link for sending Ethernet frames to the remote Ethernet node on the Ethernet link;

wherein:

the Ethernet node is configured to send to the remote Ethernet node credit information that enables the remote Ethernet node to know an amount of Ethernet frames the remote Ethernet node is allowed to send to the Ethernet node;

the credit information is included in a header piggy-backed on a host Ethernet frame that includes a payload for an upper layer protocol above an Ethernet data link layer protocol;

the header includes an EtherType field that specifies a predetermined value to indicate the header includes the credit information;

the predetermined value of the EtherType field is distinct from a value in a succeeding EtherType field of the host Ethernet frame that is not within the header; and

the value in the succeeding EtherType field specifies the upper layer protocol.

2. The Ethernet node of claim 1 , wherein the credit information specifies a virtual local area network (VLAN) priority;

wherein the credit information enables the remote Ethernet node to know the amount of Ethernet frames having the specified VLAN priority the remote Ethernet node is allowed to send to the Ethernet node.

3. The Ethernet node of claim 1 , wherein the credit information specifies a plurality of virtual local area network (VLAN) priorities;

wherein for each VLAN priority of the plurality of VLAN priorities, the credit information enables the remote Ethernet node to know the amount of Ethernet frames having the VLAN priority the remote Ethernet node is allowed to send to the Ethernet node.

4. The Ethernet node of claim 1 , wherein the credit information instructs the remote Ethernet node to increase a credit count by a number of frame quanta indicated in the credit information.

5. The Ethernet node of claim 1 , wherein the credit information instructs the remote Ethernet node to re-establish a credit count based on a number of frame quanta indicated in the credit information.

6. The Ethernet node of claim 5 , wherein the Ethernet node is configured to send the credit information in response to a request for the credit information by the remote Ethernet node.

7. The Ethernet node of claim 1 , wherein the host Ethernet frame includes a virtual local area network (VLAN) priority tag that specifies a VLAN priority, wherein the credit information enables the remote Ethernet node to know the amount of Ethernet frames having the specified VLAN priority the remote Ethernet node is allowed to send to the Ethernet node.

8. The Ethernet node of claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet node is configured to send the credit information in response to the Ethernet node processing Ethernet frames received from the remote Ethernet node.

9. The Ethernet node of claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet node is configured to receive from the remote Ethernet node second credit information that enables the Ethernet node to know an amount of Ethernet frames the Ethernet node is allowed to send to the remote Ethernet node.

10. A method for controlling the flow of Ethernet frames on an Ethernet link that couples first and second Ethernet nodes, the method comprising:

sending, by the first Ethernet node, to the second Ethernet node first credit information that enables the second Ethernet node to know a first amount of Ethernet frames the second Ethernet node is allowed to send to the first Ethernet node; and

receiving, by the first Ethernet node, from the second Ethernet node second credit information that enables the first Ethernet node to know a second amount of Ethernet frames the first Ethernet node is allowed to send to the second Ethernet node;

wherein:

the first credit information is included in a header piggy-backed on a host Ethernet frame that includes a payload for an upper layer protocol above an Ethernet data link layer protocol;

the header includes an EtherType field that specifies a predetermined value to indicate the header includes the credit information;

the predetermined value of the EtherType field is distinct from a value in a succeeding EtherType field of the host Ethernet frame that is not within the header; and

the value in the succeeding EtherType field specifies the upper layer protocol.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first credit information specifies a first virtual local area network (VLAN) priority, wherein the second credit information specifies a second VLAN priority;

wherein the first credit information enables the second Ethernet node to know the first amount of Ethernet frames having the specified first VLAN priority the second Ethernet node is allowed to send to the first Ethernet node;

wherein the second credit information enables the first Ethernet node to know the second amount of Ethernet frames having the specified second VLAN priority the first Ethernet node is allowed to send to the second Ethernet node.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

increasing, by the second Ethernet node, a first credit count by a number of frame quanta indicated in the first credit information; and

increasing, by the first Ethernet node, a second credit count by a number of frame quanta indicated in the second credit information.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

sending, by the first Ethernet node, the first credit information in response to the first Ethernet node processing Ethernet frames received from the second Ethernet node; and

sending, by the second Ethernet node, the second credit information in response to the second Ethernet node processing Ethernet frames received from the first Ethernet node.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising: sending, by the first Ethernet node, the first credit information in response to detecting an error in an Ethernet frame received on the link by the first Ethernet node.