System and method for in-line consistency checking of packetized data

An apparatus for receiving packets, which is operable to implement a protocol for detecting and correcting transmission errors in packet-based communications, the apparatus comprising:

• a device configured to receive one or more packets, wherein each packet comprises a plurality of transmission subunits, wherein each packet comprises a header and a footer, wherein each of the received transmission subunits of a packet comprises data comprised in the received transmission subunit and a received cumulative error detection code, and wherein each of the received transmission subunits do not comprise a header and a footer;
• a code generation unit coupled to the device and configured to generate a new cumulative error detection code for each of the received transmission subunits of the packet, wherein the new cumulative error detection code for each received transmission subunit of the packet is generated based on the received data comprised in the each received transmission subunit and a new cumulative error detection code corresponding to one or more previously received transmission subunits of the packet wherein the first error detection code is seeded with a value;
• and
• an error detection unit coupled to the code generation unit and configured to compare the new cumulative error detection code to the received cumulative error detection code to determine if a transmission error occurred.

A system for implementing a protocol for detecting and correcting transmission errors in packet-based communications, the system comprising:

• a host computer comprising a first module for transmitting packets, where the first module is operable to implement the protocol for detecting and correcting transmission errors in packet-based communications, and wherein the first module comprises:
• a first device configured to transmit one or more packets, wherein each packet comprises a header and a footer and is configured for transmission as a single entity, wherein each packet comprises a plurality of transmission subunits, and wherein each of the plurality of transmission subunits does not have a header and a footer, and
• a first code generation unit coupled to the first device and configured to generate a cumulative error detection code for each of the plurality of transmission subunits of a packet,
• wherein the cumulative error detection code for each transmission subunit of the packet is generated based on data comprised in the each transmission subunit and a cumulative error detection code corresponding to one or more previously transmitted transmission subunits of the packet wherein the first error detection code is seeded with a value;
• a system interconnect coupled to the first module of the host computer;
• and
• a remote chassis coupled to the system interconnect and comprising a second module for receiving packets, wherein the second module is operable to implement the protocol for detecting and correcting transmission errors in packet-based communications, and wherein the second module comprises:
• a second device configured to receive each of the plurality of transmitted transmission subunits of the one or more packets, wherein each of the received transmission subunits of the packet comprises the data comprised in the received transmission subunit and the received cumulative error detection code, and
• a second code generation unit coupled to the second device and configured to generate a new cumulative error detection code for each of the received transmission subunits of the packet, wherein the new cumulative error detection code for each received transmission subunit of the packet is generated based on the received data comprised in the each received transmission subunit and a new cumulative error detection code corresponding to one or more previously received transmission subunits of the packet, and
• an error detection unit coupled to the second code generation unit and configured to compare the new cumulative error detection code to the received cumulative error detection code to determine if a transmission error occurred.

A method for transmitting packets, which implements a protocol for detecting and correcting transmission errors in packet-based communications, the method comprising:

• generating a cumulative error detection code for each of a plurality of transmission subunits of a packet, wherein each of the plurality of transmission subunits does not have a header and footer;
• and
• transmitting each of the plurality of transmission subunits of the packet;
• wherein the cumulative error detection code for each transmission subunit of the packet is generated based on data comprised in the each transmission subunit and a cumulative error detection code corresponding to one or more previously transmitted transmission subunits of the packet wherein the first error detection code is seeded with a value.

A method for receiving packets that implements a protocol for detecting and correcting transmission errors in packet-based communications, the method comprising:

• receiving one or more packets, wherein each packet comprises a header and a footer, wherein each packet comprises a plurality of transmission subunits, wherein each of the plurality of transmission subunits does not have a header and a footer, and wherein a particular received transmission subunit of the plurality of transmission subunits of a packet comprises data comprised in the particular received transmission subunit and a received cumulative error detection code;
• generating a new cumulative error detection code for each of the received transmission subunits of the packet, wherein the new cumulative error detection code for each received transmission subunit of the packet is generated based on the received data comprised in the each received transmission subunit and a new cumulative error detection code corresponding to one or more previously received transmission subunits of the packet wherein the first error detection code is seeded with a value;
• and
• comparing the new cumulative error detection code with the received cumulative error detection code to determine if a transmission error occurred.

A computer readable memory medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to:

• generate a cumulative error detection code for each of a plurality of transmission subunits of a packet, wherein each of the plurality of transmission subunits does not comprise a header and a footer;
• and
• transmit each of the plurality of transmission subunits of the packet;
• wherein the cumulative error detection code for each transmission subunit of the packet is generated based on data comprised in the each transmission subunit and a cumulative error detection code corresponding to one or more previously transmitted transmission subunits of the packet wherein the first error detection code is seeded with a value.