Optimized utilization of dma buffers for incoming data packets in a network protocol

A system for storing data packets in computer memory, the computer memory including DMA memory reserved for dynamic memory access (DMA) and non-DMA memory that is not reserved for DMA access, the system comprising:

• a network adapter configured to transfer received data packets to packet buffers in the DMA memory;
• a controller configured to associate with the packet buffers a time stamp of when the data packets are transferred to the packet buffers;
• and
• a buffer stealer configured to:
• iteratively copy the packet buffers with associated time stamps older than a threshold age to the application buffers in the non-DMA memory if there is a shortage of available DMA memory to store additional data packets;
• and
• indicate that the DMA memory previously used to store the packet buffers is available to store the additional data packets.

A computer program product for storing data packets in computer memory, the computer memory including DMA memory reserved for dynamic memory access (DMA) and non-DMA memory that is not reserved for DMA access, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code configured to:
• transfer received data packets from a network adapter to packet buffers in the DMA memory;
• associate with the packet buffers a time stamp of when the data packets are transferred to the packet buffers;
• iteratively copy packet buffers with associated time stamps older than a threshold age to application buffers in the non-DMA memory if there is a shortage of available DMA memory to store additional data packets;
• and
• indicate that the DMA memory previously used to store the packet buffers is available to store the additional data packets.