Abstract: Transfer of data is facilitated between at least one application and a peer via a network. Data destined for the peer is provided from the at least one application for transmission to the peer via the network. Modulation event tokens are managed, and protocol processing of the data with the peer is based in part on a result of the modulation event tokens managing such that protocol processed data is caused to be transmitted to the peer via the network nominally with desired data transmission rate characteristics. A result of the protocol processing step is fed back to the to the modulation event tokens managing. The desired data transmission rate characteristics may include, for example, shaping and pacing.

Abstract: A method of operating intelligent network interface circuitry facilitates the tunneling of packets between at least one process, executing on a host computer, and a peer via a network, via the network interface circuitry. Packets are received from the process executing on the host computer. Modulation event tokens are managed, including receiving and providing modulation event tokens. Modulation events are processed. It is decided whether to transmit the received packets out to the network in association with modulation event processing, and the received packets are transmitted out to the network based on the deciding step. Based on a result of the modulation events processing step, modulation event tokens are caused to be fed back for receipt by the modulation event tokens managing step. As a result, the packets are tunneled through the network interface circuitry and the transmission of the packets is modulated out to the network.

Abstract: Transfer of data is facilitated between at least one application and a peer via a network. Data destined for the peer is provided from the at least one application for transmission to the peer via the network. Modulation event tokens are managed, and protocol processing of the data with the peer is based in part on a result of the modulation event tokens managing such that protocol processed data is caused to be transmitted to the peer via the network nominally with desired data transmission rate characteristics. A result of the protocol processing step is fed back to the to the modulation event tokens managing. The desired data transmission rate characteristics may include, for example, shaping and pacing.

Abstract: A method of operating intelligent network interface circuitry includes the network interface circuitry coupling a core processor to a network to facilitate communication over the network between the core processor and at least a first peer and a second peer. A first connection connects to the first peer and a second connection connects to the second peer. The network interface circuitry receives data packets from the first peer via the network on the first connection, according to a first particular protocol. The network interface circuitry processes the received data, including associating, with the second connection, data that is at least a portion of the data packets received on the first connection, such that the data received by the intelligent network interface circuitry on the first connection is switched to be outgoing from the intelligent network interface circuitry on the second connection, according to a second particular protocol.

Abstract: A host is coupled to a network via an intelligent network adaptor. The host is executing an application configured to receive application data from a peer via the network and the intelligent network adaptor using a stateful connection according to a connection-oriented protocol. The intelligent network adaptor performs protocol processing of the connection. Application data is copied from host memory not configured for access by the application (possibly OS-associated host memory) to host memory associated with the application (application-associated host memory). The application data is received from the peer by the intelligent network adaptor and copied to host memory not configured for access by the application. The operating system selectively provides, to the intelligent network adaptor, information of the memory associated with the application.

Abstract: A network interface controller includes a plurality of scatter gather circuits (104a-104d) connectable to a host via a bus (101). A packet buffer (112) is configured for communication with the scatter gather circuits (104a-104d). A plurality of access circuits (110a-110d) are configured to access external network connections. An optional forwarding engine (108) is selectable to generate routing information corresponding to data received via the access circuits (110a-110d) and to provide the routing information to the packet buffer (112).

Abstract: An interface device is associated with a local device. The interface device is configured to process payload data messages among the local device and peer devices. The payload data messages encapsulated according to a particular protocol. In at least one of the local device and the interface device, configuration messages are generated. The configuration messages are communicated among the local device and the interface device, the configuration messages associated with configuring the operation of the local device and the interface device with respect to the payload data messages.

Abstract: The present invention is in the field of virtualization of Network Interface Cards and Controllers (NIC) that connect to for example a host computer that can have multiple functions and OS's (referred to as guest functions and guest-OS's) running on it simultaneously and, in particular, relates to the virtualization of the operation of a single NIC such that it can be used simultaneously by multiple guests in such a manner that memory references due to the network traffic originating from and destined to a particular guest is kept separate from other network traffic, and that allows the Media Access Controller (MAC) within the NIC to operate such that it only accepts network packets that are destined to one of the guest-functions or guest-OS's, and the MAC is not required to operate in promiscuous mode where it accept all incoming packets in order to implement the virtualization features.

Abstract: A method of operating a system including a host and intelligent network interface circuitry extends a passive open operation to accomplish full offload of a stateful connection between a host and a peer. In response to observing a synchronization signal from the peer, an offload target creates a connection control block in the offload target in anticipation of a corresponding stateful connection being offloaded from the host. The observed synchronization signal is allowed to be provided to the host. In response to observing a synchronization acknowledgment signal from the host and destined for the peer, the offload target performs establishment processing for the stateful connection. Based on an acknowledgment of the synchronization acknowledgment signal from the peer, acknowledgement of the synchronization acknowledgement signal is processed and a corresponding acknowledgment signal is provided to the host.

Abstract: A host station and a scatter gather engine (SGE) station communicate with each other. In the host station, a host generation indication is maintained. In the SGE station, an SGE generation indication is maintained. Information, including the host generation indication maintained in the host station, is written into an entry of a data structure in a memory associated with the host station. In the SGE station, information is received from each of at least one of the entries of the data structure. The received information is processed, including comparing the SGE generation indication maintained in the SGE station to the host generation indication in the entry to determine whether the information in that entry includes valid information.

Abstract: A host is coupled to a network via an intelligent network adaptor. The host is executing an application configured to receive application data from a peer via the network and the intelligent network adaptor using a stateful connection according to a connection-oriented protocol. The intelligent network adaptor performs protocol processing of the connection. Application data is copied from host memory not configured for access by the application (possibly OS-associated host memory) to host memory associated with the application (application-associated host memory). The application data is received from the peer by the intelligent network adaptor and copied to host memory not configured for access by the application. The operating system selectively provides, to the intelligent network adaptor, information of the memory associated with the application.

Abstract: Transfer of data is facilitated between at least one peer application and a host, via a network and network interface circuitry associated with the host. That is, data destined for the host is provided from the peer to the network interface circuitry via the network. The NIC has the capability to offload the processing of data provided according to particular protocols. In addition, based on characteristics of the data, a filtering rule associated with those characteristics may be applied to the data prior to providing the data to the host. When there are a plurality of filter rules associated with characteristics of the data, in some examples, it is automatically determined which one of the plurality of filter rules associated with characteristics of the data to apply to the data.

Abstract: Transfer of data is facilitated between at least one application and a peer via a network. Data destined for the peer is provided from the at least one application for transmission to the peer via the network. Modulation event tokens are managed, and protocol processing of the data with the peer is based in part on a result of the modulation event tokens managing such that protocol processed data is caused to be transmitted to the peer via the network nominally with desired data transmission rate characteristics. A result of the protocol processing step is fed back to the to the modulation event tokens managing. The desired data transmission rate characteristics may include, for example, shaping and pacing.

Abstract: Transfer of data over UDP is facilitated between at least one application and at least one peer via a network. Data destined for the at least one peer is provided from the at least one application for transmission to the peer via the network. The data is encapsulated into UDP segments, which may further be fragmented according to packet size or application level framing constraints. Modulation event tokens are managed, and protocol processing of the data with the at least one peer is based in part on a result of the modulation event tokens managing such that data is caused to be transmitted to the at least one peer via the network nominally with desired data transmission rate characteristics. A result of the modulation event processing step is fed back to the to the modulation event tokens managing.

Abstract: The present invention is in the field of virtualization of Network Interface Cards and Controllers (NIC) that connect to for example a host computer that can have multiple functions and OS's (referred to as guest functions and guest-OS's) running on it simultaneously and, in particular, relates to the virtualization of the operation of a single NIC such that it can be used simultaneously by multiple guests in such a manner that memory references due to the network traffic originating from and destined to a particular guest is kept separate from other network traffic, and that allows the Media Access Controller (MAC) within the NIC to operate such that it only accepts network packets that are destined to one of the guest-functions or guest-OS's, and the MAC is not required to operate in promiscuous mode where it accept all incoming packets in order to implement the virtualization features.

Abstract: A method of operating intelligent network interface circuitry facilitates the tunneling of packets between at least one process, executing on a host computer, and a peer via a network, via the network interface circuitry. Packets are received from the process executing on the host computer. Modulation event tokens are managed, including receiving and providing modulation event tokens. Modulation events are processed. It is decided whether to transmit the received packets out to the network in association with modulation event processing, and the received packets are transmitted out to the network based on the deciding step. Based on a result of the modulation events processing step, modulation event tokens are caused to be fed back for receipt by the modulation event tokens managing step. As a result, the packets are tunneled through the network interface circuitry and the transmission of the packets is modulated out to the network.

Abstract: A method of operating intelligent network interface circuitry includes the network interface circuitry coupling a core processor to a network to facilitate communication over the network between the core processor and at least a first peer and a second peer. A first connection connects to the first peer and a second connection connects to the second peer. The network interface circuitry receives data packets from the first peer via the network on the first connection, according to a first particular protocol. The network interface circuitry processes the received data, including associating, with the second connection, data that is at least a portion of the data packets received on the first connection, such that the data received by the intelligent network interface circuitry on the first connection is switched to be outgoing from the intelligent network interface circuitry on the second connection, according to a second particular protocol.

Abstract: A network interface controller includes a plurality of scatter gather circuits (104a-104d) connectable to a host via a bus (101). A packet buffer (112) is configured for communication with the scatter gather circuits (104a-104d). A plurality of access circuits (110a-110d) are configured to access external network connections. An optional forwarding engine (108) is selectable to generate routing information corresponding to data received via the access circuits (110a-110d) and to provide the routing information to the packet buffer (112).

Abstract: A network interface controller includes a plurality of scatter gather circuits (104a-104d) connectable to a host via a bus (101). A packet buffer (112) is configured for communication with the scatter gather circuits (104a-104d). A plurality of access circuits (110a-110d) are configured to access external network connections. An optional forwarding engine (108) is selectable to generate routing information corresponding to data received via the access circuits (110a-110d) and to provide the routing information to the packet buffer (112).

Abstract: A plurality of direct memory access data transfers are accomplished to transfer data from a host to an adaptor. For each transfer, an indication of locations of at least one group of storage locations associated with the host available to hold the data to be transferred to the host is provided from the host to the adaptor. An indication of the provided indication is maintained, for that transfer, by the host. Based on the indication of locations provided from the host to the adaptor, data is transferred to the at least one group of storage locations from the adaptor. An indication is provided from the adaptor to the host that the data transferring step has been completed with respect to the at least one group of storage locations. The host determines the locations corresponding to the at least one group of storage locations based on the indications maintained by the host and retrieving the data from the at least one group of storage locations based on the determination.