IEEE 802.1p Priority
Priority Tagging is a function defined by the IEEE 802.1p standard designed to provide a means of managing traffic on a network where many different types of data may be transmitted simultaneously. It is intended to alleviate problems associated with the delivery of time critical data over congested networks. The quality of applications that are dependent on such time critical data, such as video conferencing, can be severely and adversely effected by even very small delays in transmission.
Network devices that are in compliance with the IEEE 802.1p standard have the ability to recognize the priority level of data packets. These devices can also assign a priority label or tag to packets. Compliant devices can also strip priority tags from packets. This priority tag determines the packet’s degree of expeditiousness and determines the queue to which it will be assigned.
Priority tags are given values from 0 to 7 with 0 being assigned to the lowest priority data and 7 being given to the highest. The highest priority tag 7 is generally only used for data associated with video or audio applications, which are sensitive to even slight delays, or for data from specified end users whose data transmissions warrant special consideration.
The Switch allows you to further tailor how priority tagged data packets are handled on your network. Using queues to manage priority tagged data allows you to specify its relative priority to suit the needs of your network. There may be circumstances where it would be advantageous to group two or more differently tagged packets into the same queue. Generally however, it is recommended that the highest priority queue, Queue 3, be reserved for data packets with a priority value of 7. Packets that have not been given any priority value are placed in Queue 0 and thus given the lowest priority for delivery.
A weighted round robin system is employed on the Switch to determine the rate at which the queues are emptied of packets. The ratio used for clearing the queues is 15:7:3:1. This means that the highest priority queue, Queue 3, will clear 15 packets for every 7 packets cleared from Queue 2, 15 packets for every 3 packets from Queue 1, and 15 packets for every 1 packet from Queue 0.
Remember, the priority queue settings on the Switch are for all ports, and all devices connected to the Switch will be effected. This priority queuing system will be especially beneficial if your network employs switches with the capability of assigning priority tags.
VLANs
VLANs are a collection of users or ports grouped together in a secure, autonomous broadcast and multicast domain. Membership to a VLAN is not restricted by a physical location and can be defined across multiple LAN switches.
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