Abstract: Flexible schemes for adding rules to a NIC pipeline and associated apparatus. Multiple match-action tables are implemented in host memory of a platform defining actions to be taken for matching packet flows. A packet processing pipeline and an exact match (EM) cache is implemented on a network interface, such as a NIC, installed in the platform. A portion of the match-action entries in the host memory match-action tables are cached in the EM cache. Received packets are processed to generate a key that is used as a lookup for the EM cache. If a match is found, the action is taken. For a miss, the key is forwarded to the host software and the match-action tables are searched. For a match, the action is taken, and the entry is added to the EM cache. If no match is found, a new match-action entry is added to a match-action table. Aging-out mechanisms are used for the match-action tables and the EM cache. A multi-hash scheme is used to that supports a very large number of match-action entries.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for improving the performance of cache memory in a computer system by dynamically selecting an index for caching main memory while an application is running. A disclosed example of a memory system includes a cache including a data array, a primary tag array, and at least one secondary tag array. A currently selected index is used to index data bits to the data array and tag bits to the primary tag array. The performance of at least one candidate index is evaluated by indexing tag bits to the secondary tag array, without caching any data using the candidate index while the candidate index is under evaluation. If the candidate index has a better hit rate than the currently selected index, the memory system switches to using the candidate index to cache data.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for improving the performance of cache memory in a computer system by dynamically selecting an index for caching main memory while an application is running. A disclosed example of a memory system includes a cache including a data array, a primary tag array, and at least one secondary tag array. A currently selected index is used to index data bits to the data array and tag bits to the primary tag array. The performance of at least one candidate index is evaluated by indexing tag bits to the secondary tag array, without caching any data using the candidate index while the candidate index is under evaluation. If the candidate index has a better hit rate than the currently selected index, the memory system switches to using the candidate index to cache data.

Abstract: A selective cache includes a set configured to receive data evicted from a number of primary sets of a primary cache. The selective cache also includes a counter associated with the set. The counter is configured to indicate a frequency of access to data within the set. A decision whether to replace data in the set with data from one of the primary sets is based on a value of the counter.

Abstract: A method placing items routing wiring pursuant to integrated circuit specifications to create an integrated circuit design. Once the initially placed design is legalized, rather that just starting wiring routing, the method identifies books in the integrated circuit design which contain blocked items. The method allows the routing process to be paused temporarily, and for the items to be moved to a certain extent. This movement process is controlled (limited according to signal power output by the associated books) so that the timing of the integrated circuit design is not affected by any such “mid-routing” movement. If the books do not have any blocked items, the process continues to route wires between the items and the books. If at any point before or during the routing of the wires it is found that the books do have blocked items, the process pauses the routing of the wires and performs any number of different processes to solve the blocked item situation (unblock the blocked items).

Abstract: Device, system, and method of handling delayed transactions. For example, an apparatus to handle delayed transactions in a computing system includes: a slave unit adapted to pseudo-randomly reject a request received from a master unit.

Abstract: Some embodiments include, for example, devices, systems, and methods of handling transactions. In some demonstrative embodiments, an apparatus to handle transactions in a computing system may include a master unit to arbitrate between read and write requests to be issued over a request bus according to at least first and second arbitration schemes. A first ratio between read and write requests issued by the master unit according to the first arbitration scheme may be different from a second ratio between read and write requests issued by the master unit according to the second arbitration scheme.

Abstract: Embodiments herein provide a transaction level mechanism that ensures that the links are operational right in time for the data flow, so that the data flow will not be impacted by delays associated with link recovery into the operational state. The path has links that have the ability to be in an inactive mode or an active mode. The embodiments herein transmit an “activation transmission” over the path to turn on the links within the path, before sending a data transfer (comprising packetized data) to turn on (wake up) the inactive links within the path, so that the actual data transfer does not experience any such start-up or wake-up delays.

Abstract: A communications apparatus uses at least one logical communications link that comprises a plurality of lanes within a computerized hardware device. A data transfer monitor is connected to the logical communications link and measures the real-time data transfer bandwidth of the logical communications link. In addition, a link management unit or link width control unit (comparator) is connected to the lanes and to the data transfer monitor and continually compares the real-time data transfer bandwidth to a predetermined data transfer bandwidth standard. If the real-time data transfer bandwidth is below the predetermined data transfer bandwidth standard, the link management unit is adapted to perform up-configuring of the logical communications link by activating additional lanes up to a maximum number of lanes making up the logical communications link.

Abstract: A method placing items routing wiring pursuant to integrated circuit specifications to create an integrated circuit design. Once the initially placed design is legalized, rather that just starting wiring routing, the method identifies books in the integrated circuit design which contain blocked items. The method allows the routing process to be paused temporarily, and for the items to be moved to a certain extent. This movement process is controlled (limited according to signal power output by the associated books) so that the timing of the integrated circuit design is not affected by any such “mid-routing” movement. If the books do not have any blocked items, the process continues to route wires between the items and the books. If at any point before or during the routing of the wires it is found that the books do have blocked items, the process pauses the routing of the wires and performs any number of different processes to solve the blocked item situation (unblock the blocked items).

Abstract: Optimization of a use of memory buffers of a device connected to a physical link including virtual channels (VCs) while sustaining bandwidth for communication between the device and another entity, by determining an initial allocation of memory buffers of each VC. Further, the optimization is accomplished by determining whether a next VC is active or inactive. If the VC is determined to be inactive, a number of memory buffers initially allocated to the inactive channel is determined, and the memory buffers are re-allocated between the active VCs.

Abstract: Some embodiments include, for example, devices, systems, and methods of handling transactions. In some demonstrative embodiments, an apparatus to handle transactions in a computing system may include a master unit to arbitrate between read and write requests to be issued over a request bus according to at least first and second arbitration schemes. A first ratio between read and write requests issued by the master unit according to the first arbitration scheme may be different from a second ratio between read and write requests issued by the master unit according to the second arbitration scheme.

Abstract: Device, system, and method of handling delayed transactions. For example, an apparatus to handle delayed transactions in a computing system includes: a slave unit adapted to pseudo-randomly reject a request received from a master unit.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement and method selectively reorder speculatively issued memory read requests being communicated to a lower memory level in a multi-level memory architecture. In particular, a memory read request that has been speculatively issued to a lower memory level prior to completion of a cache lookup operation initiated in a cache memory in a higher memory level may be reordered ahead of at least one previously received and pending request awaiting communication to the lower memory level. By doing so, the latency associated with the memory read request is reduced when the request results in a cache miss in the higher level memory, and as a result, system performance is improved.

Abstract: A method for dynamic management of Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) reassembly buffers in hardware (e.g., in a TCP/IP offload engine (TOE)). The method comprises: providing a plurality of data blocks and an indirect list; pointing, via entries in the indirect list, to allocated data blocks in the plurality of data blocks that currently store incoming data; if a free data block in the plurality of data blocks is required for the storage of incoming data, allocating the free data block for storing incoming data; and, if an allocated data block in the plurality of data blocks is no longer needed for storing incoming data, deallocating the allocated data block such that the deallocated data block becomes a free data block.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and circuit for a receiver to receive data from an associated data transmitter. The receiver may include a signaling module adapted to transmit a Ready-To-Receive (“RTR”) signal to the associated transmitter when a number of vacant bits in a data buffer exceeds a delay associated value.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement and method selectively reorder speculatively issued memory read requests being communicated to a lower memory level in a multi-level memory architecture. In particular, a memory read request that has been speculatively issued to a lower memory level prior to completion of a cache lookup operation initiated in a cache memory in a higher memory level may be reordered ahead of at least one previously received and pending request awaiting communication to the lower memory level. By doing so, the latency associated with the memory read request is reduced when the request results in a cache miss in the higher level memory, and as a result, system performance is improved.

Abstract: A method of offloading, from a host data processing unit (205), iSCSI TCP/IP processing of data streams coming through at least one TCP/IP connection (3071,3072,3073), and a related iSCSI TCP/IP Offload Engine (TOE). The method including: providing a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) header queue (311) adapted to store headers (HDR11, . . . , HDR32) of iSCSI PDUs received through the at least one TCP/IP connection; monitoring the at least one TCP/IP connection for an incoming iSCSI PDU to be processed; when at least a iSCSI PDU header is received through the at least one TCP/IP connection, extracting the iSCSI PDU header from the received PDU, and placing the extracted iSCSI PDU header into the PDU header queue; looking at the PDU header queue for ascertaining the presence of iSCSI PDUs to be processed, and processing the incoming iSCSI PDU based on information in the extracted iSCSU PDU header retrieved from the PDU header queue.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamic management of Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) reassembly buffers in hardware (e.g., in a TCP/IP offload engine (TOE)). The method comprises: providing a plurality of data blocks and an indirect list; pointing, via entries in the indirect list, to allocated data blocks in the plurality of data blocks that currently store incoming data; if a free data block in the plurality of data blocks is required for the storage of incoming data, allocating the free data block for storing incoming data; and, if an allocated data block in the plurality of data blocks is no longer needed for storing incoming data, deallocating the allocated data block such that the deallocated data block becomes a free data block.