Method and system for quality of service in host bus adapters

A host bus adapter operationally coupled to another device via a network link, comprising:

• a processor for monitoring a data transfer rate for a plurality of queues that service a plurality of applications, and for providing quality of service to the plurality of applications;
• wherein each queue is associated with an application from among the plurality of applications that are executed by one or more computing systems;
• wherein the quality of service is provided in a first selectable mode and a second selectable mode;
• wherein in the first selectable mode, the quality of service is based on a user allocating a percentage of bandwidth of the network link to each of the plurality of applications;
• and assigning an initial priority to each of the plurality of queues;
• and the processor dynamically adjusts the initial priority of a queue if a current data transfer rate for the queue is beyond a threshold value;
• and
• wherein in the second selectable mode, the quality of service is based on a user assigning a priority to each of the plurality of applications and the host bus adapter determines a number of input/output (I/O) requests it needs to process within a duration and then transfer information based on the determined number of I/O requests and the assigned priority.

A system for transferring information in a network, comprising:

• a plurality of applications executed on a plurality of host systems;
• and
• a host bus adapter interfacing with the plurality of applications, wherein the host bus adapter comprises a processor for monitoring a data transfer rate for a plurality of queues that service the plurality of applications, and for providing quality of service to the plurality of applications;
• wherein each queue is associated with an application from among the plurality of applications;
• wherein the quality of service is provided in a first selectable mode and a second selectable mode;
• wherein in the first selectable mode, the quality of service is based on a user allocating a percentage of bandwidth of the network link to each of the plurality of applications;
• and assigning an initial priority to each of the plurality of queues;
• and the processor dynamically adjusts the initial priority of a queue if a current data transfer rate for the queue is beyond a threshold value;
• and
• wherein in the second selectable mode, the quality of service is based on a user assigning a priority to each of the plurality of applications and the host bus adapter determines a number of input/output (I/O) requests it needs to process within a duration and then transfers information based on the determined number of I/O requests and the assigned priority.

A method for an adapter coupled to a network via a network link, comprising:

• (a) using a first selectable mode and a second selectable mode to provide quality of service to a plurality of applications executed by one or more computing systems;
• wherein in the first selectable mode, the quality of service is based on allocating bandwidth of the network link and dynamically adjusting an initial priority assigned to a plurality of queues, each queue being associated with an application from among a plurality of applications;
• and
• wherein in the second selectable mode, the quality of service is based on a user assigning a priority to each of the plurality of applications and the adapter determines a number of input/output (I/O) requests it needs to process within a duration and then transfers information based on the determined number of I/O requests and the assigned priority;
• (b) if the first mode is selected, then allocating a percentage of a total bandwidth of the network link among the plurality of applications;
• (c) determining a transfer rate for the plurality of queues based on the allocated bandwidth;
• (d) assigning an initial queue priority value for each of the plurality of queues;
• (e) monitoring a data transfer rate for each of a plurality of I/O requests that service the plurality of queues;
• and
• (f) dynamically adjusting the initial queue priority if the data transfer rate is beyond a threshold value at a given time.

A system for transferring information in a network, comprising:

• a plurality of applications executed on a plurality of host systems;
• and
• an adapter that includes:
• a processor for providing quality of service to the plurality of applications, where the processor monitors a data transfer rate for a plurality of queues that service the plurality of applications;
• wherein each queue is associated with an application from among the plurality of applications;
• wherein the quality of service is provided in a first selectable mode and a second selectable mode;
• wherein in the first selectable mode, the quality of service is based on allocating a percentage of bandwidth of the network link to each of the plurality of applications and assigning an initial priority to each of the plurality of queues;
• and the processor dynamically adjusts the initial priority of a queue if a current data transfer rate for the queue is beyond a threshold value;
• and
• wherein in the second selectable mode, the quality of service is based on a user assigning a priority to each of the plurality of applications, and the adapter determines a number of input/output (I/O) requests it needs to process within a duration and then transfers information based on the determined number of I/O requests and the assigned priority.