Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to systems, methods, and computer readable media for dynamic data transfer rate control. One method includes alternating a network device between a plurality of supported data transfer rates that are supported by the network device to achieve an unsupported data transfer rate that is not supported by the network device. Another method includes adding one or more dummy work descriptors to a data stream, and transmitting the data stream including the one or more dummy work descriptors at a supported data transfer rate that is supported by a network device to achieve an effective unsupported data transfer rate that is not supported by the network device.

Abstract: A network adapter includes a network port for communicating with a communication network, a hardware clock, and circuitry. The circuitry is coupled to receive from the communication network, via the network port, one or more time-protocol packets that convey a network time used for synchronizing network devices in the communication network, to align the hardware clock to the network time conveyed in the time-protocol packets, and to make the network time available to one or more time-service consumers running in a host served by the network adapter.