Abstract: A method for communication includes establishing, using an end-to-end reliable transport context, a channel for exchange of data packets over a network between a first network interface controller (NIC) of a first computing node on the network and a second NIC of a second computing node on the network. The first NIC accepts first and second work items for execution on behalf of different, first and second sender processes, respectively, that are running on the first computing node. The first and second work items are executed by transmitting over the network from the first NIC to the second NIC, using the end-to-end reliable transport context, first and second messages directed to different, first and second receiver process running on the second computing node, using the same end-to-end reliable transport context. The second message is sent before receiving from the second NIC any acknowledgment of the first message.

Abstract: A method for steering packets includes receiving a packet and determining parameters to be used in steering the packet to a specific destination, in one or more initial steering stages, based on one or more packet specific attributes. The method further includes determining an identity of the specific destination of the packet in one or more subsequent steering stages, governed by the parameters determined in the one or more initial stages and one or more packet specific attributes, and forwarding the packet to the determined specific destination.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods are described, including apparatus that includes one or more communication interfaces for communicating over a communication network, and a processor. The processor is configured to receive, via the communication interfaces, a plurality of numbers, and calculate a sum of the numbers that is independent of an order in which the numbers are received, by (i) converting any of the numbers that are received in a floating-point representation to a derived floating-point representation that includes a plurality of signed integer multiplicands corresponding to different respective orders of magnitude, and (ii) summing the numbers in the derived floating-point representation, by separately summing integer multiplicands that correspond to the same order of magnitude. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A method for steering packets, including receiving a packet and determining parameters to be used in steering the packet to a specific destination, in one or more initial steering stages, based on one or more packet specific attributes. The method further includes determining an identity of the specific destination of the packet in one or more subsequent steering stages, governed by the parameters determined in the one or more initial stages and one or more packet specific attributes, and forwarding the packet to the determined specific destination.

Abstract: A Network Interface (NI) includes a host interface, which is configured to receive from a host processor of a node one or more cross-channel work requests that are derived from an operation to be executed by the node. The NI includes a plurality of work queues for carrying out transport channels to one or more peer nodes over a network. The NI further includes control circuitry, which is configured to accept the cross-channel work requests via the host interface, and to execute the cross-channel work requests using the work queues by controlling an advance of at least a given work queue according to an advancing condition, which depends on a completion status of one or more other work queues, so as to carry out the operation.

Abstract: A Network Interface (NI) includes a host interface, which is configured to receive from a host processor of a node one or more work requests that are derived from an operation to be executed by the node. The NI maintains a plurality of work queues for carrying out transport channels to one or more peer nodes over a network. The NI further includes control circuitry, which is configured to accept the work requests via the host interface, and to execute the work requests using the work queues by controlling an advance of at least a given work queue according to an advancing condition, which depends on a completion status of one or more other work queues, so as to carry out the operation.

Abstract: A method for communication includes receiving at a receiving node over a network from a sending node a succession of data packets belonging to a sequence of transactions, including at least one or more first packets belonging to a first transaction and one or more second packets belonging to a second transaction executed by the sending node after the first transaction, wherein at least one of the second packets is received at the receiving node before at least one of the first packets. At the receiving node, upon receipt of the data packets, data are written from the data packets in the succession to respective locations in a buffer. Execution of the second transaction at the receiving node is delayed until all of the first packets have been received and the first transaction has been executed at the receiving node.

Abstract: A method for data storage includes mapping a queue pair (QP) of a channel adapter to a specified Fiber Channel (FC) exchange for communication with a storage device. Upon receiving at the channel adapter from a host computer a storage command directed to the storage device, the storage command is executed by transmitting data packets over a switched network from the channel adapter to the storage device using the specified exchange and performing a remote direct memory access (RDMA) operation on the channel adapter using the mapped QP.

Abstract: A Network Interface (NI) includes a host interface, which is configured to receive from a host processor of a node one or more cross-channel work requests that are derived from an operation to be executed by the node. The NI includes a plurality of work queues for carrying out transport channels to one or more peer nodes over a network. The NI further includes control circuitry, which is configured to accept the cross-channel work requests via the host interface, and to execute the cross-channel work requests using the work queues by controlling an advance of at least a given work queue according to an advancing condition, which depends on a completion status of one or more other work queues, so as to carry out the operation.

Abstract: A Network Interface (NI) includes a host interface, which is configured to receive from a host processor of a node one or more cross-channel work requests that are derived from an operation to be executed by the node. The NI includes a plurality of work queues for carrying out transport channels to one or more peer nodes over a network. The NI further includes control circuitry, which is configured to accept the cross-channel work requests via the host interface, and to execute the cross-channel work requests using the work queues by controlling an advance of at least a given work queue according to an advancing condition, which depends on a completion status of one or more other work queues, so as to carry out the operation.

Abstract: A system and method of monitoring a memory address is disclosed which may replace a polling operation on a memory by determining a memory address to monitor, notifying a cache controller of the memory address, and cause execution on a polling thread to wait. The cache controller may then monitor the memory address and notify the processor to resume execution of the thread. While the processor is waiting to be notified, it may enter a power save state or allow more time to be allocated to other threads being executed.

Abstract: A method for operating a peripheral device includes receiving at the peripheral device service orders, which are identified with respective service instances and are submitted to the peripheral device over the bus by software applications running on a host processor, which write copies of the service orders to a memory. The received service orders are queued for execution by the peripheral device. When one or more of the service orders have been dropped from the queue prior to execution, a recovery of a selected service instance is initiated by submitting a read request from the peripheral device to the memory over the bus to receive a copy of any unexecuted service order associated with the service instance.

Abstract: A method for operating a peripheral device includes receiving at the peripheral device service orders, which are identified with respective service instances and are submitted to the peripheral device over the bus by software applications running on a host processor, which write copies of the service orders to a memory. The received service orders are queued for execution by the peripheral device. When one or more of the service orders have been dropped from the queue prior to execution, a recovery of a selected service instance is initiated by submitting a read request from the peripheral device to the memory over the bus to receive a copy of any unexecuted service order associated with the service instance.

Abstract: A method for steering packets, including receiving a packet and determining parameters to be used in steering the packet to a specific destination, in one or more initial steering stages, based on one or more packet specific attributes. The method further includes determining an identity of the specific destination of the packet in one or more subsequent steering stages, governed by the parameters determined in the one or more initial stages and one or more packet specific attributes, and forwarding the packet to the determined specific destination.

Abstract: A network communication device includes a host interface, which is coupled to communicate with a host processor, having a memory, so as to receive a work request to convey one or more data blocks over a network. The work request specifies a memory region of a given data size, and at least one data integrity field (DIF), having a given field size, is associated with the data blocks. Network interface circuitry is configured to execute an input/output (I/O) data transfer operation responsively to the work request so as to transfer to or from the memory a quantity of data that differs from the data size of the memory region by a multiple of the field size, while adding the at least one DIF to the transferred data or removing the at least one DIF from the transferred data.

Abstract: A method of communication includes receiving, in a network interface device, first and second requests from an initiator process running on an initiator host to transmit, respectively, first and second data to first and second target processes running on one or more target nodes, via a packet network. A single dynamically-connected initiator context is allocated for serving both the first and second requests. A first connect packet referencing the dynamically-connected (DC) initiator context is directed to the first target process so as to open a first dynamic connection with the first target process, followed by transmission of the first data over the first dynamic connection. The first dynamic connection is closed after the transmission of the first data, and a second connect packet is transmitted so as to open a second dynamic connection with the second target process, followed by transmission of the second data.

Abstract: A method for communication includes establishing a full-duplex communication link between first and second nodes. The link includes multiple first lanes for conveying first communication traffic in a first link direction and multiple second lanes for conveying second communication traffic in a second link direction. Signals are exchanged between the first and second nodes to indicate a requested change in lane activity in the first link direction. Responsively to the signals, a number of the first lanes that are active is changed so that the first node conveys the first communication traffic to the second node over a first number of the first lanes, while the second node conveys the second communication traffic to the first node over a second number of the second lanes, which is different from the first number.

Abstract: A method of communication includes receiving, in a network interface device, first and second requests from an initiator process running on an initiator host to transmit, respectively, first and second data to first and second target processes running on one or more target nodes, via a packet network. A single dynamically-connected initiator context is allocated for serving both the first and second requests. A first connect packet referencing the dynamically-connected (DC) initiator context is directed to the first target process so as to open a first dynamic connection with the first target process, followed by transmission of the first data over the first dynamic connection. The first dynamic connection is closed after the transmission of the first data, and a second connect packet is transmitted so as to open a second dynamic connection with the second target process, followed by transmission of the second data.

Abstract: A Network Interface (NI) includes a host interface, which is configured to receive from a host processor of a node one or more cross-channel work requests that are derived from an operation to be executed by the node. The NI includes a plurality of work queues for carrying out transport channels to one or more peer nodes over a network. The NI further includes control circuitry, which is configured to accept the cross-channel work requests via the host interface, and to execute the cross-channel work requests using the work queues by controlling an advance of at least a given work queue according to an advancing condition, which depends on a completion status of one or more other work queues, so as to carry out the operation.

Abstract: A network communication device includes a host interface, which is coupled to communicate with a host processor, having a memory, so as to receive a work request to convey one or more data blocks over a network. The work request specifies a memory region of a given data size, and at least one data integrity field (DIF), having a given field size, is associated with the data blocks. Network interface circuitry is configured to execute an input/output (I/O) data transfer operation responsively to the work request so as to transfer to or from the memory a quantity of data that differs from the data size of the memory region by a multiple of the field size, while adding the at least one DIF to the transferred data or removing the at least one DIF from the transferred data.