Abstract: A procedure controls execution of priority ordered tasks in a multi-nodel data processing system. The data processing system includes a node with a software-controlled processor and a hardware-configured queue-controller. The queue-controller includes a plurality of priority-ordered queues, each queue listing tasks having an assigned priority equal to a priority order assigned to the queue.

Abstract: An apparatus for dynamically allocating memory includes a processor, a free buffer pool memory and a control memory which stores control block data structures. The control block data structures enable a segmentation of the free buffer pool memory into a series of free buffer pools, each free buffer pool comprising plural identical size buffers, each succeeding free buffer pool including a larger buffer size than a preceding free buffer pool. A selection size parameter for a given free buffer pool is a value that is larger than the buffer size comprising the given free buffer pool, but less than a next larger buffer size in the next of the series of free buffer pools.

Abstract: A system that enables pipelining of data to and from a memory includes multiple control block data structures which indicate amounts of data stored in the memory. An input port device receives and stores in memory, data segments of a received data message and only updates status information in the software control blocks when determined quantities of the data segments are stored. An output port is responsive to a request for transmission of a portion of the received data and to a signal from the input port that at least a first control count of data segments of the received data are present in memory. The output port then outputs the stored data segments from memory but discontinues the action if, before the required portion of the received data is outputted, software control blocks indicate that no further stored data segments are available for outputting.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for sharing a data stream between a first data storage system in communication with a second data storage system. Meta-data is associated with each record of the data stream. Zero or more records of the data stream are compressed at the first storage system. The meta-data for the compressed data record is updated to indicate that the data record has been compressed. The data stream including the compressed data record with the updated meta-data is sent to the second storage system. The meta-data and the data stream records are stored on a storage device at the second data storage system.

Abstract: A multi-nodal computing system is connected by a communication network. A first node of the multi-nodal system includes apparatus for transmitting an information transfer request to a second node, the request including identification data that the second node can use to access the selected information. The second node includes memory for storing the requested information and a message output control structure. A processor is responsive to received identification data from the first node to access selected information that is defined by the data. The processor is further responsive to the information transfer request to insert the identification data received from the first node directly into a message output control structure. The processor then initiates an output operation by employing the identification data in the message output control data structure to access the identified information and to communicate the information to the first node.

Abstract: A computing system includes plural nodes that are connected by a communications network. Each node comprises a communications interface that enables an exchange of messages with other nodes. A ready queue is maintained in a node and includes plural message entries, each message entry indicating an output message control data structure. The node further includes memory for storing plural output message control data structures, each including one or more chained further monrtol data structures that define data comprising a message or a portion of a message that is to be dispatched. Control data structures that are chained from an output messsage control data structure exhibit a sequence dependincy. A processor is controlled by the ready queue and enables dispatch of portions of the message designated by an output message control data structure and associated further control structures.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for ensuring the communication of a minimal length data stream in a system including a host and a storage management device is provided. The method and apparatus includes first and second buffers for simultaneously receiving compressed data and the original data from the host. The system compares the length of the data in the first and second buffers. If the data has expanded, indicating that compressed data is longer than the original data, the original data is provided to the storage media. If the data has not expanded, indicating that the original data is longer than the compressed data, then the compressed data is provided to the storage media.