Method and apparatus for communicating data over a bus according to redefinable configurations

A data processing apparatus comprising:

• a first data processing board;
• a second data processing board;
• a bus connecting the boards with each other;
• each board comprising a communication utility for communicating data over the bus to the other board, the communication utility communicates data according to a redefinable configuration such that a bus utilization percentage in a range from 13% to 25% is achieved for 8 Kbvte data transfers across the bus, the communication utility being configured to communicate data through a plurality of channels;
• and
• the plurality of channels have a user-redefinable configuration with the configuration being user-redefinable with one of a plurality of available configuration types, with each channel's configuration type is one selected from the group consisting of (1) a copy on send configuration type, (2) a copy to pool on receive configuration type, (3) a copy to buffer on receive configuration type, (4) a push to pool on receive configuration type, (5) a push to buffer on receive configuration type, (6) a queue on send configuration type, (7) a copy to self configuration type, (8) a queue to self configuration type, and (9) an overwrite on send configuration type.

A method of communicating data comprising:

• defining, according to user input, a redefinable communication channel configuration for communicating data over a bus between a first data processing board and a second data processing board by:
• defining, according to user input, a plurality of redefinable communication channel configurations for a plurality of communication channels;
• selecting a configuration type for at least one channel, with selecting the configuration type further comprising selecting a communication channel's configuration type from the group consisting of (1) a copy on send configuration type, (2) a copy to pool on receive configuration type, (3) a copy to buffer on receive configuration type, (4) a push to pool on receive configuration type, (5) a push to buffer on receive configuration type, (6) a queue on send configuration type, (7) a copy to self configuration type, (8) a queue to self configuration type, and (9) an overwrite on send configuration type;
• and
• communicating data according to the defined communication channel configuration from one board to the other over the bus.

A method of configuring a communication utility for transporting data from a first processor to a second processor over a bus, the method comprising:

• defining a configuration for a channel through which data is communicated over a bus by a communication utility interfacing the first processor with the second processor, the channel configuration redefinable by a user based on at least one user input, the user input including at least one of a configuration for the transfer of data over the bus with the configuration including a plurality of channels through which data is communicated bV the communication utility;
• selecting a configuration type for each channel from a plurality of available configuration types with one of the available configuration types including a copy on send configuration type;
• and
• in accordance with the defined channel configurations, compiling software for controlling the communication utility.