US Patent 12132662 Priority-based flow control messaging for port extender

A port extender provides individual flow control for ports multiplexed from a network device. The port extender is configured to multiplex a network device port across the front panel ports on the port extender. The port extender also determines that an input buffer for the network device port is overloaded, and generates a Priority-based Flow Control (PFC) frame identifying that the network device port is congested. The port extender sends the PFC frame via the network device port to the network device. The PFC frame causes the network device coupled to the network device port to discontinue sending data for transmission from the plurality of ports on the port extender.