Abstract: Methods, systems (apparatus) and computer program products are provided that control the data rate through a communications adapter having at least one guaranteed bandwidth connection through the communications adapter. The control of the data rate may be accomplished by assigning to guaranteed bandwidth connections, a maximum threshold value proportional to the amount of data to be transmitted through the communications adapter in a time interval to satisfy the guaranteed bandwidth of the connection. Guaranteed bandwidth connections are then limited to this amount of data in a time interval. Furthermore, an outbound data threshold for data sent tot he adapter and a total data threshold for data to or from the adapter may be established and best efforts data not sent to the adapter if either of these thresholds are exceeded within the time interval.

Abstract: Methods, systems (apparatus) and computer program products that control the data rate through a communications adapter having at least one guaranteed bandwidth connection through the communications adapter are provided. The data rate is controlled by assigning to the guaranteed bandwidth connection, a maximum threshold value proportional to the amount of data to be transmitted through the communications adapter in a time interval to satisfy the guaranteed bandwidth of the connection. The amount of data transmitted through the communications adapter for the guaranteed bandwidth connection is then counted so as to provide a connection data count associated with the guaranteed bandwidth. Data transmitted for the communications adapter associated with the guaranteed bandwidth connection is not transmitted to the communications adapter if transmission of the data would cause the connection data count to exceed the maximum threshold value assigned to the guaranteed bandwidth connection.