Abstract: A method and apparatus tracks packets and reliably transmits data over a computer transmission system with a reduced amount of memory needed in the transmission interface. The invention eliminates the need to keep all the packets of data queued until the acknowledge message for that data has arrived. Instead, it keeps track of how many packets have been sent and which packets correspond to the end of a message, marking them off when acknowledge messages are received. If packets are lost, the invention determines which packet were lost, backs up to the lost packet, re-fetches the data and resends it. Embodiments of the present invention eliminate the need to queue packets, reducing silicon size and allowing the available bandwidth of the output bus to be more fully utilized.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a first method of transmitting a data packet is provided. The first method includes the steps of (1) for each connection from which a data packet may be transmitted, storing header data corresponding to the connection; (2) employing a user application to form header and payload data of a packet, wherein the user application is associated with a connection from which the packet is to be transmitted; and (3) while transmitting the packet, comparing one or more portions of the packet header data with the header data corresponding to the connection with which the user application is associated. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus tracks packets and reliably transmits data over a computer transmission system with a reduced amount of memory needed in the transmission interface. The invention eliminates the need to keep all the packets of data queued until the acknowledge message for that data has arrived. Instead, it keeps track of how many packets have been sent and which packets correspond to the end of a message, marking them off when acknowledge messages are received. If packets are lost, the invention determines which packet were lost, backs up to the lost packet, re-fetches the data and resends it. Embodiments of the present invention eliminate the need to queue packets, reducing silicon size and allowing the available bandwidth of the output bus to be more fully utilized.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a first method is provided for transferring data using an Infiniband (IB) protocol. The first method includes the steps of (1) receiving a non-IB packet having header data and payload data at a first node of a computer system; and (2) modifying data in the non-IB packet to convert the non-IB packet to an IB packet having header data and payload data. The header data of the non-IB packet is not included in the payload data of the IB packet resulting from the conversion. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: Concurrent read access and exclusive write access are provided in a shared memory architecture to permit one or more devices in the shared memory architecture to maintain read access to a block of memory such as a cache line while one device has exclusive permission to modify that block of memory. By doing so, a device that has permission to modify may make updates to its copy of the block of memory without invalidating other copies of the block of memory, and potentially enabling other devices to continue to read data from their respective copies of the block of memory without having to retrieve the updated copy of the block of memory.

Abstract: A method for coalescing acknowledge packets within a server is disclosed. A Read Request queue having multiple queue pair entries is provided. Each of the queue pair entries includes a packet sequence number (PSN) field and an indicator field. In response to a receipt of a Write Request packet, an indicator field of a queue pair entry is set to indicate that an Ack packet has been queued within the queue pair entry, and a PSN of the Write Request packet is written into a PSN field of the queue pair entry. In addition, a Queue Write Pointer is maintained to point to the queue pair entry. In response to a receipt of a Read Request packet, the indicator field of the queue pair entry is set to indicate that a Read Request packet has been queued within the queue pair entry, and a PSN of the Read Request packet is written into the PSN field of the queue pair entry. Also, the Queue Write Pointer is advanced to point to a queue pair entry that is subsequent to the queue pair entry.

Abstract: A method and apparatus tracks packets and reliably transmits data over a computer transmission system with a reduced amount of memory needed in the transmission interface. The invention eliminates the need to keep all the packets of data queued until the acknowledge message for that data has arrived. Instead, it keeps track of how many packets have been sent and which packets correspond to the end of a message, marking them off when acknowledge messages are received. If packets are lost, the invention determines which packet were lost, backs up to the lost packet, re-fetches the data and resends it. Embodiments of the present invention eliminate the need to queue packets, reducing silicon size and allowing the available bandwidth of the output bus to be more fully utilized.