US 6,226,680 B1 · Intelligent network interface system method for protocol processing

Abstract

A system for protocol processing in a computer network has an intelligent network interface card (INIC) or communication processing device (CPD) associated with a host computer. The INIC provides a fast-path that avoids protocol processing for most large multipacket messages, greatly accelerating data communication. The INIC also assists the host for those message packets that are chosen for processing by host software layers. A communication control block for a message is defined that allows DMA controllers of the INIC to move data, free of headers, directly to or from a destination or source in the host. The context is stored in the IMC as a communication control block (CCB) that can be passed back to the host for message processing by the host. The INIC contains specialized hardware circuits that are much faster at their specific tasks than a general purpose CPU. A preferred embodiment includes a trio of pipelined processors with separate processors devoted to transmit, receive and management processing, with full duplex communication for four fast Ethernet nodes.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method for communication between a network and a host computer having a processor and a sequential stack of protocol layers, the method comprising:

receiving, by said host from said network, a message packet including data and a plurality of headers corresponding to said stack of protocol layers, said data intended for placement in said host according to protocol processing of said headers,
processing, sequentially as a group, said plurality of headers, including creating a summary of said group of headers, and
choosing, dependent upon said summary, whether to process said packet by said protocol layers or to avoid processing by said protocol layers, for storing said data in a destination in said host.

A method for network communication by a host computer having a processor, a memory and a sequential stack of protocol layers, the method comprising:

receiving by the host from the network a packet including data and a plurality of headers relating to the stack of protocol layers, said packet destined for said host,
categorizing said packet with a hardware logic sequencer, including classifying said headers and creating a summary of said packet, and
choosing, dependent upon said summary, whether to process said packet to with said stack of protocol layers or to bypass said stack of protocol layers by transferring said data to a destination in said host.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Intelligent network interface system method for protocol processing

Life of this patent

Intelligent network interface system method for protocol processing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23