Method and apparatus for managing a network flow in a high performance network interface

A method of managing a communication flow comprising a collection of data directed from a source entity to a destination entity, the method comprising:

• receiving a first packet at a network interface, said first packet comprising a first portion of a collection of data;
• identifying a first flow key, said first flow key comprising an identifier of a source of said first packet and an identifier of a destination of said first packet;
• setting up a first communication flow for said collection of data, wherein said first communication flow is identifiable by said first flow key;
• and
• assigning an operation code to said first packet, said operation code indicating whether said first portion of data is reassembleable with another portion of data in said collection of data;
• wherein said first communication flow is configured to be terminated after said collection of data is received at said network interface.

A method of managing a network flow received at a network interface, comprising:

• parsing a packet received at a network interface;
• assembling a flow identifier configured to identify a network flow comprising said packet;
• searching a flow database on said network interface for said flow identifier;
• updating a flow sequence number in a flow database record comprising said flow identifier;
• setting a flow activity indicator in said flow database record to reflect receipt of said packet;
• and
• setting a flow validity indicator in said flow database to indicate said network flow is valid.

A method of processing a packet received at a network interface, comprising:

• receiving a packet at a network interface, wherein said packet was sent from a source entity to a destination entity;
• parsing said packet to identify a flow between said source entity and said destination entity that comprises said packet;
• receiving a status indicator extracted from said packet;
• searching a flow database for said flow;
• generating an operation code based on said status indicator, wherein said operation code is configured to:
• indicate whether said packet is a control packet;
• and
• indicate whether a header portion of said packet conforms to one of a set of pre-selected communication protocols;
• and
• updating said flow database by:
• updating a flow activity indicator associated with said flow to reflect receipt of said packet;
• and
• updating a flow validity indicator associated with said flow to indicate said flow is valid.

A network interface for receiving a communication flow from a network, comprising:

• a parser for examining a header portion of a first packet received from a network, said first packet comprising a first portion of data transmitted from a source entity to a destination entity;
• a data structure comprising:
• a flow key for identifying said communication flow, wherein said flow key comprises identifiers of said source entity and said destination entity;
• an activity indicator for indicating a recency with which a packet in said communication flow has been received;
• and
• a validity indicator for indicating whether said communication flow is valid;
• a data manager for managing said data structure;
• and
• a generator configured to generate an operation code for every packet in said communication flow, to facilitate forwarding of said data toward the destination entity from the network interface;
• wherein said data manager establishes said communication flow and stores said flow key in said data structure upon receipt of said first portion of data, and terminates said communication flow upon receipt of a final portion of said data.

A network interface, comprising:

• a database configured to facilitate management of a network flow, said network flow comprising one or more packets sent from a source entity to a destination entity, said database comprising:
• a flow key configured to identify said network flow;
• and
• a validity indicator configured to indicate whether said network flow is valid;
• a database manager configured to manage said database;
• and
• an operation code generator configured to generate an operation code for every packet within said network flow, wherein said operation code is configured to specify an operation to be performed with said packet;
• wherein said database manager receives said flow key and updates said database when said packet is received.

A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of managing a network flow database storing information relating to a network flow received by a network interface, the method comprising:

• identifying a flow index of a packet received at a network interface, wherein said flow index identifies a communication flow comprising said packet;
• searching a flow database for a flow record comprising said flow index;
• at a flow database manager, generating an operation code representing an eligibility of said packet for one or more predetermined processes;
• and
• forwarding said operation code to a reassembly engine configured to reassemble a data portion of the packet with a data portion of another packet in the communication flow.

A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of managing a communication flow comprising a collection of data directed from a source entity to a destination entity, the method comprising:

• receiving a first packet at a network interface, said first packet comprising a first portion of a collection of data;
• identifying a first flow key, said first flow key comprising an identifier of a source of said first packet and an identifier of a destination of said first packet;
• setting up a first communication flow for said collection of data, wherein said first communication flow is identifiable by said first flow key;
• and
• assigning an operation code to said first packet, said operation code indicating whether said first portion of data is reassembleable with another portion of data in said collection of data;
• wherein said first communication flow is configured to be terminated after said collection of data is received at said network interface.

A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of processing a packet received at a network interface, the method comprising:

• receiving a packet at a network interface, wherein said packet was sent from a source entity to a destination entity;
• parsing said packet to identify a flow between said source entity and said destination entity that comprises said packet;
• receiving a status indicator extracted from said packet;
• searching a flow database for said flow;
• generating an operation code based on said status indicator, wherein said operation code is configured to:
• indicate whether said packet is a control packet;
• and
• indicate whether a header portion of said packet conforms to one of a set of pre-selected communication protocols;
• and
• updating said flow database by:
• updating a flow activity indicator associated with said flow to reflect receipt of said packet;
• and
• updating a flow validity indicator associated with said flow to indicate said flow is valid.

A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of managing a network flow received at a network interface, the method comprising:

• parsing a packet received at a network interface;
• assembling a flow identifier configured to identify a network flow comprising said packet;
• searching a flow database on said network interface for said flow identifier;
• updating a flow sequence number in a flow database record comprising said flow identifier;
• setting a flow activity indicator in said flow database record to reflect receipt of said packet;
• and
• setting a flow validity indicator in said flow database to indicate said network flow is valid.