Abstract: A method for data communication includes submitting from a host processor to a network interface controller (NIC) during a first time period first work items instructing the NIC to transmit over a network packets containing respective data. The first work items include pointer-based work items, which contain a pointer to the respective data in a memory of the host processor, and inline work items, which contain the respective data. The performance of the NIC is measured in transmitting the packets during the first time period. During a second time period, subsequent to the first time period, the host processor submits second work items to the NIC while deciding automatically, under control of software running on the host processor and based on the measured performance during the first time period, how many of the second work items are to be pointer-based and how many are to be inline work items.

Abstract: A method for data communication includes submitting from a host processor to a network interface controller (NIC) during a first time period first work items instructing the NIC to transmit over a network packets containing respective data. The first work items include pointer-based work items, which contain a pointer to the respective data in a memory of the host processor, and inline work items, which contain the respective data. The performance of the NIC is measured in transmitting the packets during the first time period. During a second time period, subsequent to the first time period, the host processor submits second work items to the NIC while deciding automatically, under control of software running on the host processor and based on the measured performance during the first time period, how many of the second work items are to be pointer-based and how many are to be inline work items.