Ethernet Pause Frame functionality

[Tod Hansmann]

On 2/3/2012 9:17 PM, Andy Bradford wrote:
> You said it was ``smart'' but you  didn't mention the brand. What is the
> model of  the 8-port  switch? It's  more likely that  you need  a better
> switch. What are the specs on it? How many PPS can it handle?
>
> If the  documentation doesn't tell  you the performance that  the switch
> can deliver, then it's likely you need a better one.
>
> If  you are  flooding the  switch,  even from  a single  server to  many
> clients, and  it is actually  the switch that  is sending out  the pause
> frames, then that could potentially block all clients.
>
> Andy
It's a Netgear GS108t-200NAS, if I recall correctly (I'm not currently 
at the office).  I'm actually not too worried about the flooding of the 
switch, as we're only sending 8 MB/s max from the server.  Sometimes far 
less (3 MB/s) and we get pause frames not based on the server's state, 
but the clients' states.

You aren't incorrect, of course.  If this were faster, even beyond the 
point of 100 Mbit/s limitations, I'd think that would be a serious issue 
to look for, though.

-Tod Hansmann