Extending berkeley packet filter semantics for hardware offloads

At least one non-transient machine-readable medium storing instructions for execution by at least one machine, the at least one machine being associated with network interface controller circuitry for use in association with host computer circuitry, the host computer circuitry to execute, when the host computer circuitry is in operation, a Linux operating system and a user space application, the Linux operating system, when executed, having a kernel space, the instructions when executed by the at least one machine resulting in the at least one machine being configured for performance of operations comprising:

• programming, at least in part, packet processing hardware offload circuitry of the network interface controller circuitry, based upon packet filter rule data, to implement packet filter rules corresponding, at least in part, to the packet filter rule data;
• and
• determining by the network interface controller circuitry, based upon header data of at least one incoming packet and the packet filter rule data, at least one action to apply to the at least one incoming packet;
• wherein:
• the packet filter rules comprise the at least one action;
• the packet filter rules are to be set, at least in part, using at least one call associated with the kernel space;
• the at least one action is configurable to include:
• at least one network address translation-related operation associated with the header data;
• dropping the at least one incoming packet;
• and/or
• forwarding the at least one incoming packet;
• when the host computer circuitry is in the operation, after registration of at least one device driver of the network interface controller circuitry:
• the packet filter rule data is to be associated with the network interface controller circuitry via at least one callback function call;
• and
• the programming, at least in part of the packet processing hardware offload circuitry of the network interface controller circuitry is to be implemented, at least in part, by the at least one device driver associated with the network interface controller circuitry via code references to be associated, at least in part, with the at least one device driver associated with the network interface controller circuitry.

Network interface controller circuitry for use in association with host computer circuitry and at least one device driver, the host computer circuitry to execute, when the host computer circuitry is in operation, a Linux operating system and a user space application, the Linux operating system, when executed, having a kernel space, the network interface controller circuitry comprising:

• packet processing circuitry that comprises packet processing hardware offload circuitry;
• and
• storage storing instructions to be executed by the packet processing circuitry, the instructions, when executed by the packet processing circuitry, resulting in the network interface controller circuitry being configured to perform operations comprising:
• determining by the network interface controller circuitry, based upon packet filter rule data and header data of at least one incoming packet, at least one action to apply to the at least one incoming packet;
• wherein:
• the packet processing hardware offload circuitry of the network interface controller circuitry is to be programmed, at least in part, based upon the packet filter rule data, to implement packet filter rules corresponding, at least in part, to the packet filter rule data;
• the packet filter rules comprise the at least one action;
• the packet filter rules are to be set, at least in part, using at least one call associated with the kernel space;
• the at least one action is configurable to include:
• at least one network address translation-related operation associated with the header data;
• dropping the at least one incoming packet;
• and/or
• forwarding the at least one incoming packet;
• when the host computer circuitry is in the operation, after registration of the at least one device driver associated with the network interface controller circuitry:
• the packet filter rule data is to be associated with the network interface controller circuitry via at least one callback function call;
• and
• programming, at least in part of the packet processing hardware offload circuitry of the network interface controller circuitry is to be implemented, at least in part, by the at least one device driver associated with the network interface controller circuitry via code references to be associated, at least in part, with the at least one device driver associated with the network interface controller circuitry.

Host computer circuitry for use with network interface controller circuitry in association with at least one device driver, the host computer circuitry to execute, when the host computer circuitry is in operation, a Linux operating system and a user space application, the Linux operating system, when executed, having a kernel space, the host computer circuitry comprising:

• processor core circuitry;
• storage storing instructions that when executed by the processor core circuitry result in the processor core circuitry being configured to perform operations comprising:
• executing, at least in part, the at least one device driver, the at least one device driver to program, at least in part, packet processing hardware offload circuitry of the network interface controller circuitry, based upon packet filter rule data, to implement packet filter rules corresponding, at least in part, to the packet filter rule data, the network interface controller circuitry to determine, based upon header data of at least one incoming packet and the packet filter rule data, at least one action to apply to the at least one incoming packet;
• wherein:
• the packet filter rules comprise the at least one action;
• the packet filter rules are to be set, at least in part, using at least one call associated with the kernel space;
• the at least one action is configurable to include:
• at least one network address translation-related operation associated with the header data;
• dropping the at least one incoming packet;
• and/or
• forwarding the at least one incoming packet;
• when the host computer circuitry is in the operation, after registration of the at least one device driver of the network interface controller circuitry:
• the packet filter rule data is to be associated with the network interface controller circuitry via at least one callback function call;
• and
• programming, at least in part of the packet processing hardware offload circuitry of the network interface controller circuitry is to be implemented, at least in part, by the at least one device driver associated with the network interface controller circuitry via code references to be associated, at least in part, with the at least one device driver associated with the network interface controller circuitry.

Distributed computing system for use in providing at least one service via an Internet network, the distributed computing system comprising:

• host computer circuitry for use with network interface controller circuitry in association with at least one device driver, the host computer circuitry to execute, when the host computer circuitry is in operation, a Linux operating system and a user space application, the Linux operating system, when executed, having a kernel space, the host computer circuitry comprising:
• processor core circuitry;
• storage storing instructions that when executed by the processor core circuitry result in the processor core circuitry being configured to perform operations comprising:
• executing, at least in part, the at least one device driver, the at least one device driver to program, at least in part, packet processing hardware offload circuitry of the network interface controller circuitry, based upon packet filter rule data, to implement packet filter rules corresponding, at least in part, to the packet filter rule data, the network interface controller circuitry to determine, based upon header data of at least one incoming packet and the packet filter rule data, at least one action to apply to the at least one incoming packet;
• wherein:
• the packet filter rules comprise the at least one action;
• the packet filter rules are to be set, at least in part, using at least one call associated with the kernel space;
• the at least one action is configurable to include:
• at least one network address translation-related operation associated with the header data;
• dropping the at least one incoming packet;
• and/or
• forwarding the at least one incoming packet;
• when the host computer circuitry is in the operation, after registration of the at least one device driver of the network interface controller circuitry:
• the packet filter rule data is to be associated with the network interface controller circuitry via at least one callback function call;
• and
• programming, at least in part of the packet processing hardware offload circuitry of the network interface controller circuitry is to be implemented, at least in part, by the at least one device driver associated with the network interface controller circuitry via code references to be associated, at least in part, with the at least one device driver associated with the network interface controller circuitry.

A method implemented using network interface controller circuitry for use in association with host computer circuitry, the host computer circuitry to execute, when the host computer circuitry is in operation, a Linux operating system and a user space application, the Linux operating system, when executed, having a kernel space, the method comprising:

• programming, at least in part, packet processing hardware offload circuitry of the network interface controller circuitry, based upon packet filter rule data, to implement packet filter rules corresponding, at least in part, to the packet filter rule data;
• and
• determining by the network interface controller circuitry, based upon header data of at least one incoming packet and the packet filter rule data, at least one action to apply to the at least one incoming packet;
• wherein:
• the packet filter rules comprise the at least one action;
• the packet filter rules are to be set, at least in part, using at least one call associated with the kernel space;
• the at least one action is configurable to include:
• at least one network address translation-related operation associated with the header data;
• dropping the at least one incoming packet;
• and/or
• forwarding the at least one incoming packet;
• when the host computer circuitry is in the operation, after registration of at least one device driver of the network interface controller circuitry:
• the packet filter rule data is to be associated with the network interface controller circuitry via at least one callback function call;
• and
• the programming, at least in part of the packet processing hardware offload circuitry of the network interface controller circuitry is to be implemented, at least in part, by the at least one device driver associated with the network interface controller circuitry via code references to be associated, at least in part, with the at least one device driver associated with the network interface controller circuitry.