Architecture-aware allocation of network buffers

A system for allocating network buffers, comprising:

• a host comprising:
• a plurality of nodes, wherein each of the plurality of nodes comprises:
• at least one of a plurality of processors;
• and
• one of a plurality of transmit kernel buffers (TxKBs);
• a media access card (MAC) layer, configured to:
• obtain an allocation policy;
• receive a request for a TxKB of the plurality of TxKBs by a sending application executing on a first one of the plurality of nodes;
• obtain a location of a plurality of available TxKBs, wherein each of the plurality of available TxKBs is one of the plurality of TxKBs;
• obtain a location of at least one available network interface;
• obtain a location of the sending application;
• allocating one of the plurality of available TxKBs to obtain an allocated TxKB, wherein the one of the plurality of available TxKBs is selected according to the allocation policy using the location of the plurality of TxKB, the location of the at least one available network interface, and the location of the sending application;
• and
• providing, to the sending application, the location of the allocated TxKB.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising software instructions, which when executed by a processor, perform a method, the method comprising:

• obtaining an allocation policy by a media access card (MAC) layer executing on a host, wherein the host comprises a plurality of nodes, and wherein each of the plurality of nodes comprises at least one of a plurality of processors and one of a plurality receive kernel buffers (RxKBs);
• receiving, by the MAC layer, a request for a RxKB of the plurality of RxKBs by a network interface;
• obtaining, by the MAC layer, a location of a plurality of available RxKBs on the host, wherein each of the plurality of available RxKBs is one of the plurality of RxKBs;
• obtaining, by the MAC layer, a destination associated with the request for the RxKB;
• obtaining, by the MAC layer, a location of the network interface;
• allocating, by the MAC layer, one of the plurality of available RxKBs to obtain an allocated RxKB, wherein the one of the plurality of available RxKBs is selected according to the allocation policy using the location of the plurality of available RxKB, the destination associated with the request for the RxKB, and the location of the network interface;
• and
• providing, to the network interface, the location of the allocated RxKB.