Method and apparatus for using multiple linked memory lists

A system, comprising:

• a memory buffer;
• and
• a buffer manager coupled to the memory buffer, the buffer manager configured to:
• receive a request for addresses and pointers for addresses allocated by the buffer manager, for storing a set of tokens of data from a queue selected from a plurality of queues, wherein the set of tokens of data comprises more than two tokens of data;
• access a memory list, and generate the addresses and the pointers to allocated addresses in the memory list, wherein the memory list comprises more than two parallel linked memory lists;
• write the pointers for the allocated addresses into the memory list to form a set of more than two linked memory locations, wherein each memory location of the set of more than two linked memory locations is allocated in a distinct parallel linked memory list in the more than two parallel linked memory lists, wherein the pointers externally link together each memory location of the set of more than two linked memory locations, and wherein each of the more than two parallel linked memory lists is divided into more than two memory locations;
• and
• migrate to another set of more than two linked memory locations for additional address allocations upon receipt of another set of tokens of data from the queue, and generate additional pointers linking together memory locations of the other set of more than two linked memory locations.

A data processing system, comprising:

• at least one processor operable for enqueuing a set of tokens of data into a memory list and for dequeuing the set of tokens of data from the allocated addresses of the parallel linked memory lists, wherein the set of tokens of data comprises more than two tokens of data, and Wherein the memory list comprises more than two parallel linked memory lists;
• and
• a buffer manager coupled to the at least one processor, the buffer manager operable for performing a method to queue data to a memory buffer, the method comprising:
• receiving a request for addresses and pointers for addresses allocated by the buffer manager, for storing the set of tokens of data;
• accessing the memory list, and generating the addresses and the pointers to allocated addresses in the memory list;
• writing the pointers for the allocated addresses into the memory list to form a set of more than two linked memory locations, wherein each memory location of the set of more than two linked memory locations is allocated in a distinct parallel linked memory list in the more than two parallel linked memory lists, wherein the pointers externally link together each memory location of the set of more than two linked memory locations, and wherein each of the more than two parallel linked memory lists is divided into more than two memory locations;
• and
• migrating to another set of more than two linked memory locations for additional address allocations upon receipt of another set of tokens of data, and generating additional pointers linking together memory locations of the other set of more than two linked memory locations.