Protocol-independent support of remote DMA

A method of facilitating remote direct memory access (RDMA) in a data communications system comprising the steps of:

• receiving a packet according to an adapted transport layer protocol definition, wherein said adapted transport layer protocol definition provides for a plurality of RDMA byte codes in the packet header, and wherein the packet header comprises one or more RDMA byte codes;
• and
• processing said packet based at least in part on said RDMA byte codes, said processing further comprising:
• reading said byte codes to identify an RDMA data payload within said packet;
• and
• storing said RDMA data payload in a memory without copying said RDMA payload.

A computer system for facilitating remote direct memory access (RDMA) in a data communications system, said computer system comprising a network interface, a memory, and a processor configured to:

• receive a packet according to an intermediate protocol layer definition in said network interface, wherein said intermediate protocol layer definition provides for a plurality of RDMA byte codes in the packet header, and wherein the packet header comprises one or more RDMA byte codes;
• and
• process said packet based in said processor at least in part on said RDMA byte codes, wherein said processor is connected to said network interface,
• read said byte codes to identify an RDMA data payload within said packet in said processor;
• and
• store said RDMA data payload in said memory without copying said RDMA payload.

A computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions for:

• receiving a packet according to an intermediate protocol layer definition, wherein said intermediate protocol layer definition provides for a plurality of RDMA byte codes in the packet header, and wherein the packet header comprises one or more RDMA byte codes;
• and
• processing said packet based at least in part on said RDMA byte codes, said processing further comprising:
• reading said byte codes to identify an RDMA data payload within said packet;
• and
• storing said RDMA data payload in a memory without copying said RDMA payload.

A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, comprising computer instructions for:

• receiving a packet according to an intermediate protocol layer definition, wherein said intermediate protocol layer definition provides for a plurality of RDMA byte codes in the packet header, and wherein the packet header comprises one or more RDMA byte codes;
• and
• processing said packet based at least in part on said RDMA byte codes, said processing further comprising:
• reading said byte codes to identify an RDMA data payload within said packet;
• and
• storing said RDMA data payload in a memory without copying said RDMA payload.

A computer system for facilitating remote direct memory access (RDMA) in a data communications system, said computer system:

• means for receiving a packet according to an intermediate protocol layer definition, wherein said intermediate protocol layer definition provides for a plurality of RDMA byte codes in the packet header, and wherein the packet header comprises one or more RDMA byte codes;
• and
• means for processing said packet based at least in part on said RDMA byte codes, said means for processing further comprising:
• means for reading said byte codes to identify an RDMA data payload within said packet;
• and
• means for storing said RDMA data payload in a memory without copying said RDMA payload.