3.2.1 Packet Priority Classification
Each received packet is examined and classified into one of four priority classes, Class 3, Class 2, Class 1 and Class 0 upon reception. The switch provides the following classification methods:
802.1p classification : use User Priority tag value in the received IEEE 802.1Q packet to map to one priority class
DSCP classification : use DSCP value in the received IP packet to map to one priority class
They all can be configured to be activated or not. More than one classification methods can be enabled at the same time. However, 802.1p classification is superior than DSCP classification.
802.1p mapping tables : Each ingress port has its own mapping table for 802.1p classification.
DSCP mapping table : All ingress ports share one DSCP mapping table for DSCP classification.
Default port priority : A port default priority class is used when
All configuration settings are in per port basis except that DSCP mapping table is global to all ports. A received packet is classified into one of four priority class before it is forwarded to an egress port.
3.2.2 Priority Class Queues
Each egress port in the switch is equipped with four priority class egress queues to store the packets for transmission. A packet is stored into the class queue which is associated to the classified priority class. For example, a packet is stored into Class 3 egress queue if it is classified as priority Class 3.
3.2.3 Egress Service Policy
Each port can be configured with an egress service policy to determine the transmission priority among four class queues. By default, higher class number has higher priority than the lower class numbers.
Four policies are provided for selection as follows:
•Strict priority : Packets in high priority class queue are sent first until the queue is empty
•Weighted ratio priority Class 3:2:1:0 = 4:3:2:1 : four queues are served in 4:3:2:1 ratio
•Weighted ratio priority Class 3:2:1:0 = 5:3:1:1 : four queues are served in 5:3:1:1 ratio
•Weighted ratio priority Class 3:2:1:0 = 1:1:1:1 : four queues are served equally
Strict priority policy lets high priority class queue is served first until it is empty. Lower priority queue may not get any service (or egress bandwidth) when higher priority traffic is heavy for long time. Three weighted ratio policies are provided to resolve such problem. Four class queues are served in weighted round robin basis. Every priority class can get a guaranteed ratio for the egress bandwidth.
