Abstract: A logic device and method are provided for intercepting a data flow from a network source to a network destination. A data store holds a set of compliance rules and corresponding actions. A packet inspector is configured to inspect the intercepted data flow and identify from the data store a compliance rule associated with the inspected data flow. A packet filter is configured to, when the data flow is identified as being associated with a compliance rule, carry out an action with respect to the data flow corresponding to the compliance rule.

Abstract: A data processing system arranged for receiving over a network, according to a data transfer protocol, data directed to any of a plurality of destination identities, the data processing system comprising: data storage for storing data received over the network; and a first processing arrangement for performing processing in accordance with the data transfer protocol on received data in the data storage, for making the received data available to respective destination identities; and a response former arranged for: receiving a message requesting a response indicating the availability of received data to each of a group of destination identities; and forming such a response; wherein the system is arranged to, in dependence on receiving the said message.

Abstract: Roughly described, a network interface device receiving data packets from a computing device for transmission onto a network, the data packets having a certain characteristic, transmits the packet only if the sending queue has authority to send packets having that characteristic. The data packet characteristics can include transport protocol number, source and destination port numbers, source and destination IP addresses, for example. Authorizations can be programmed into the NIC by a kernel routine upon establishment of the transmit queue, based on the privilege level of the process for which the queue is being established. In this way, a user process can use an untrusted user-level protocol stack to initiate data transmission onto the network, while the NIC protects the remainder of the system or network from certain kinds of compromise.

Abstract: Data transfer, synchronizing applications, and low latency networks are disclosed. An example method includes maintaining a first buffer in a first computing device, the first buffer to receive discrete units of data from a second computing device; maintaining a second buffer in the first computing device, the second buffer to store size data identifying a size of respective ones of the discrete units of data received from the second computing device; and reading from the first buffer according to a first value of a first pointer and a corresponding one of the sizes stored in the second buffer.

Abstract: A data processing system arranged for receiving over a network, according to a data transfer protocol, data directed to any of a plurality of destination identities, the data processing system comprising: data storage for storing data received over the network; and a first processing arrangement for performing processing in accordance with the data transfer protocol on received data in the data storage, for making the received data available to respective destination identities; and a response former arranged for: receiving a message requesting a response indicating the availability of received data to each of a group of destination identities; and forming such a response; wherein the system is arranged to, in dependence on receiving the said message.

Abstract: A communication interface for providing an interface between a data link and a data processor, the data processor being capable of supporting an operating system and a user application, the communication interface being arranged to: support a first queue of data received over the link and addressed to a logical data port associated with a user application; support a second queue of data received over the link and identified as being directed to the operating system; and analyze data received over the link and identified as being directed to the operating system or the data port to determine whether that data meets one or more predefined criteria, and if it does meet the criteria transmit an interrupt to the operating system.

Abstract: A data processing system arranged for receiving over a network, according to a data transfer protocol, data directed to any of a plurality of destination identities, the data processing system comprising: data storage for storing data received over the network; and a first processing arrangement for performing processing in accordance with the data transfer protocol on received data in the data storage, for making the received data available to respective destination identities; and a response former arranged for: receiving a message requesting a response indicating the availability of received data to each of a group of destination identities; and forming such a response; wherein the system is arranged to, in dependence on receiving the said message.

Abstract: A data processing system arranged for receiving over a network, according to a data transfer protocol, data directed to any of a plurality of destination identities, the data processing system comprising: data storage for storing data received over the network; and a first processing arrangement for performing processing in accordance with the data transfer protocol on received data in the data storage, for making the received data available to respective destination identities; and a response former arranged for: receiving a message requesting a response indicating the availability of received data to each of a group of destination identities; and forming such a response; wherein the system is arranged to, in dependence on receiving the said message.

Abstract: Data transfer, synchronising applications, and low latency networks are disclosed. An example method includes maintaining a first buffer in a first computing device, the first buffer to receive discrete units of data from a second computing device; maintaining a second buffer in the first computing device, the second buffer to store size data identifying a size of respective ones of the discrete units of data received from the second computing device; and reading from the first buffer according to a first value of a first pointer and a corresponding one of the sizes stored in the second buffer.

Abstract: A communication interface for providing an interface between a data link and a data processor, the data processor being capable of supporting an operating system and a user application, the communication interface being arranged to: support a first queue of data received over the link and addressed to a logical data port associated with a user application; support a second queue of data received over the link and identified as being directed to the operating system; and analyze data received over the link and identified as being directed to the operating system or the data port to determine whether that data meets one or more predefined criteria, and if it does meet the criteria transmit an interrupt to the operating system.

Abstract: Data transfer, synchronizing applications, and low latency networks are disclosed. An example method includes comparing a first address of a first data item of a first data burst to a second address of a last data item of a second data burst received before the first data burst; and, when the first address sequentially follows the second address, combining the first and second data bursts to form a third data burst.

Abstract: A network interface device for connection to a data processing device and to a data network so as to provide an interface between the data processing device and the network for supporting the network of packets of a transport protocol, the network interface device being configured to: identify within the payloads of such packets data of a further protocol, the data of the further protocol comprising payload data of the further protocol and framing data of the further protocol, and the framing data including verification data for permitting the integrity of the payload data to be verified; on so identifying data of the further protocol, process at least the payload data for determining the integrity thereof and transmit to the data processing device at least some of the framing data and an indication of the result of the said processing.

Abstract: Asynchronous network interface and method of synchronisation between two applications on different computers is provided. The network interface contains snooping hardware which can be programmed to contain triggering values comprising either addresses, address ranges or other data which are to be matched. These data are termed “trip wires”. Once programmed, the interface monitors the data stream, including address data, passing through the interface for addresses and data which match the trip wires which have been set. On a match, the snooping hardware can generate interrupts, increment event counters, or perform some other application-specified action. The invention thus provides in-band synchronisation by using synchronisation primitives which are programmable by user level applications, while still delivering high bandwidth and low latency.

Abstract: A data processing system arranged for receiving over a network, according to a data transfer protocol, data directed to any of a plurality of destination identities, the data processing system comprising: data storage (event queues 31-33) for storing data received over the network; and a first processing arrangement for performing processing in accordance with the data transfer protocol on received data in the data storage, for making the received data available to respective destination identities; and a response former arranged for: receiving a message (dashed line on FIG.

Abstract: A data processing system arranged for receiving over a network, according to a data transfer protocol, data directed to any of a plurality of destination identities, the data processing system comprising: data storage for storing data received over the network; and a first processing arrangement for performing processing in accordance with the data transfer protocol on received data in the data storage, for making the received data available to respective destination identities; and a response former arranged for: receiving a message requesting a response indicating the availability of received data to each of a group of destination identities; and forming such a response; wherein the system is arranged to, in dependence on receiving the said message.

Abstract: Data transfer, synchronising applications, and low latency networks are disclosed. An example method includes comparing a first address of a first data item of a first data burst to a second address of a last data item of a second data burst received before the first data burst; and, when the first address sequentially follows the second address, combining the first and second data bursts to form a third data burst.

Abstract: Asynchronous network interface and method of synchronisation between two applications on different computers is provided. The network interface contains snooping hardware which can be programmed to contain triggering values comprising either addresses, address ranges or other data which are to be matched. These data are termed “trip wires”. Once programmed, the interface monitors the data stream, including address data, passing through the interface for addresses and data which match the trip wires which have been set. On a match, the snooping hardware can generate interrupts, increment event counters, or perform some other application-specified action. This snooping hardware is preferably based upon Content-Addressable Memory. The invention thus provides in-band synchronisation by using synchronisation primitives which are programmable by user level applications, while still delivering high bandwidth and low latency.

Abstract: Asynchronous network interface and method of synchronisation between two applications on different computers is provided. The network interface contains snooping hardware which can be programmed to contain triggering values comprising either addresses, address ranges or other data which are to be matched. These data are termed “trip wires”. Once programmed, the interface monitors the data stream, including address data, passing through the interface for addresses and data which match the trip wires which have been set. On a match, the snooping hardware can generate interrupts, increment event counters, or perform some other application-specified action. The invention thus provides in-band synchronisation by using synchronisation primitives which are programmable by user level applications, while still delivering high bandwidth and low latency.

Abstract: Asynchronous network interface and method of synchronization between two applications on different computers is provided. The network interface contains snooping hardware which can be programmed to contain triggering values comprising either addresses, address ranges or other data which are to be matched. These data are termed “trip wires”. Once programmed, the interface monitors the data stream, including address data, passing through the interface for addresses and data which match the trip wires which have been set. On a match, the snooping hardware can generate interrupts, increment event counters, or perform some other application-specified action. This snooping hardware is preferably based upon Content-Addressable Memory. The invention thus provides in-band synchronization by using synchronization primitives which are programmable by user level applications, while still delivering high bandwidth and low latency.

Abstract: A data processing system arranged for receiving over a network, according to a data transfer protocol, data directed to any of a plurality of destination identities, the data processing system comprising: data storage for storing data received over the network; and a first processing arrangement for performing processing in accordance with the data transfer protocol on received data in the data storage, for making the received data available to respective destination identities; and a response former arranged for: receiving a message requesting a response indicating the availability of received data to each of a group of destination identities; and forming such a response; wherein the system is arranged to, in dependence on receiving the said message: identify received data that is directed to any destination identity that is both a member of the group and a member of a subset of the plurality of destination identities, and on which processing has not yet been performed; trigger processing by the first proces