Methods and apparatus for coordinating processing of network connections between two network protocol stacks

An apparatus for processing a network connection in a computer system, comprising:

• means for establishing the network connection by a software network protocol stack implemented in a kernel of an operating system associated with the computer system, wherein the kernel maintains kernel-level connection state information for the network connection, and wherein a socket layer maintains socket layer-level connection state information for the network connection;
• means for determining whether to offload the network connection from the software network protocol stack to a hardware network protocol stack implemented in a TOE-capable network interface card operatively connected to the computer system;
• means for transferring the network connection from the software network protocol stack to the hardware network protocol stack using a network interface card driver comprises:
• means for obtaining, by the network interface card driver for the software network protocol stack, a hardware connection identifier maintained by the network interface card in association with hardware-level connection state information for the network connection, wherein the software network protocol stack is configured to use the hardware connection identifier to obtain hardware-level connection state information for the network connection;
• and
• means for obtaining, by the network interface card driver for the hardware network protocol stack, a reference to socket layer-level connection state information and a reference to kernel-level connection state information, wherein the hardware network protocol stack is configured to use the references to create mappings from the hardware connection identifier to both socket layer-level connection state information and kernel-level connection state information, wherein the hardware network protocol stack is further configured to use the mappings to obtain kernel-level connection state information and socket layer-level connection state information for the network connection, when it is determined to offload the network connection from the software network protocol stack to the hardware network protocol stack, and means for determining to accept the transfer of the network connection at the hardware network protocol stack based on a processing capability of the hardware network protocol stack, wherein the network interface card maintains hardware-level connection state information for the network connection, and wherein after the hardware network protocol stack accepts transfer of the network connection, the software network protocol stack is configured to continually reference hardware-level connection state information and the hardware network protocol stack is configured to continually reference kernel-level connection state information and socket layer-level connection state information.

A computer-readable medium storing thereon computer-readable instructions for processing a network connection in a computer system, comprising:

• instructions for establishing the network connection by a software network protocol stack implemented in a kernel of an operating system associated with the computer system, wherein the kernel maintains kernel-level connection state information for the network connection, and wherein a socket layer maintains socket layer-level connection state information for the network connection;
• instructions for determining whether to offload the network connection from the software network protocol stack to a hardware network protocol stack implemented in a TOE-capable network interface card operatively connected to the computer system;
• instructions for transferring the network connection from the software network protocol stack to the hardware network protocol stack using a network interface card driver comprises:
• instructions for obtaining, by the network interface card driver for the software network protocol stack, a hardware connection identifier maintained by the network interface card in association with hardware-level connection state information for the network connection wherein the software network protocol stack is configured to use the hardware connection identifier to obtain hardware-level connection state information for the network connection;
• and
• instructions for obtaining, by the network interface card driver for the hardware network protocol stack, a reference to socket layer-level connection state information and a reference to kernel-level connection state information, wherein the hardware network protocol stack is configured to use the references to create mappings from the hardware connection identifier to both socket layer-level connection state information and kernel-level connection state information, wherein the hardware network protocol stack is further configured to use the mappings to obtain kernel-level connection state information and socket layer-level connection state information for the network connection, when it is determined to offload the network connection from the software network protocol stack to the hardware network protocol stack;
• and
• instructions for determining to accept the transfer of the network connection at the hardware network protocol stack based on a processing capability of the hardware network protocol stack, wherein the network interface card maintains hardware-level connection state information for the network connection, and wherein after the hardware network protocol stack accepts transfer of the network connection, the software network protocol stack is configured to continually reference hardware-level connection state information and the hardware network protocol stack is configured to continually reference kernel-level connection state information and socket layer-level connection state information.

A network device comprising:

• an operating system including a software network protocol stack implemented in a kernel of an operating system associated with the computer system, wherein the kernel maintains kernel-level connection state information for a network connection, and wherein a socket layer maintains socket layer-level connection state information for the network connection;
• a hardware network protocol stack coupled to the software network protocol stack, wherein the hardware network protocol stack is implemented in a TOE-capable network interface card operatively connected to the computer system,
• wherein the operating system being configured for determining whether to offload the network connection to the hardware network protocol stack and transferring the network connection from the software network protocol stack to the hardware network protocol stack using a network interface card driver comprises:
• obtaining, by the network interface card driver for the software network protocol stack, a hardware connection identifier maintained by the network interface card in association with hardware-level connection state information for the network connection, wherein the software network protocol stack is configured to use the hardware connection identifier to obtain hardware-level connection state information for the network connection;
• and
• obtaining, by the network interface card driver for the hardware network protocol stack, a reference to socket layer-level connection state information and a reference to kernel-level connection state information, wherein the hardware network protocol stack is configured to use the references to create mappings from the hardware connection identifier to both socket layer-level connection state information and kernel-level connection state information, wherein the hardware network protocol stack is further configured to use the mappings to obtain kernel-level connection state information and socket layer-level connection state information for the network connection, when it
• determines that it will offload the network connection to the hardware network protocol stack;
• and
• a control component being configured for determining to accept the transfer of the network connection at the hardware network protocol stack based on a processing capability of the hardware network protocol stack and wherein the network interface card maintains hardware-level connection state information for the network connection, and wherein after the hardware network protocol stack accepts transfer of the network connection, the software network protocol stack is configured to continually reference hardware-level connection state information and the hardware network protocol stack is configured to continually reference kernel-level connection state information and socket layer-level connection state information.