Efficient ethernet LAN with service level agreements

1. A method of controlling the flow of data packet traffic from a first point to at least a second point in an Ethernet LAN telecommunications network having a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by multiple physical network links, comprising

using circuitry, monitoring the level of utilization of a link between said first and second points,

using circuitry, generating flow control messages representing said level of utilization and transmitting said flow control messages to said first point, wherein said flow control messages comprise notifications at both a subscriber level and a trunk level, and

using states represented in said flow control messages as factors in controlling the rate at which said packets are transmitted from said first point to said second point,

wherein the states represented in said flow control messages are used to control said rate at both subscriber and trunk levels at a plurality of nodes between said first point and said second point with said subscriber levels controlled at each of said first point and said second point via a subscriber shaper and with said trunk levels controlled at trunk interfaces via a pair of trunk shapers at each of said trunk interfaces.

2. The method of claim 1 which can be used for point-to-multipoint application.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said subscriber shaper keeps track of the status of said link and adapts said rate accordingly via a MAC-level status control message (MCM).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said trunk shaper modifies said rate according to a trunk-level status control message (TCM).

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said shapers modify said rate from a maximum contracted rate CIR+EIR down to a minimum rate CIR, in response to said control messages.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said level of utilization is determined by monitoring the size of a queue at an egress port, or by analyzing changes in at least one of (1) the size of said queue and (2) delays at said queue.

7. The method of claim 1 which said flow control messages include both subscriber status control messages and trunk status control messages.

8. The method of claim 1 which includes sending status control messages to a source of data packets when a link exceeds different levels of utilization.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

using the states represented in said flow control messages as factors in controlling the rate at which said packets are transmitted at said subscriber level from said first point;

using the states represented in said flow control messages as factors in controlling the rate at which said packets are transmitted at said trunk level from said first point; and

using the states represented in said flow control messages as factors in controlling the rate at which said packets are transmitted at said trunk level from an intermediate node between said first point and said second point.

10. A method of controlling the flow of data packet traffic through an Ethernet LAN telecommunications network having a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by multiple physical network links, comprising

using circuitry, receiving incoming data packet traffic from multiple customer connections at a first node for entry into the network via said first node, said first node having an ingress trunk, and

using circuitry, limiting the rate at which said incoming data packets are admitted to the network via said ingress trunk,

wherein said network includes multiple trunks, and said method includes limiting the rate at which data packets are transmitted through said trunks, and

wherein said rate at which data packets are transmitted through said trunks is limited from a maximum configured rate CIR+EIR down to a minimum committed rate CIR in response to control messages.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said data packets are limited at said ingress trunk, through said trunks, and at an egress trunk via a subscriber shaper and a trunk shaper.

12. A method of controlling the flow of data packet traffic through an Ethernet LAN telecommunications network having a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by multiple physical network links, comprising

using circuitry, receiving incoming data packet traffic from multiple customer connections at a first node for entry into the network via said first node, said first node having multiple ingress trunks,

using circuitry, limiting the rate at which said incoming data packets are admitted to the network via said multiple ingress trunks, and

using circuitry, limiting the rate at which data packets are transmitted through the network via trunks in the network,

wherein said rate at which data packets are transmitted through the network via trunks in the network is limited from a maximum configured rate CIR+EIR down to a minimum committed rate CIR in response to control messages.