Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture, wherein in certain embodiments, an indicator is searched for in a computational platform, and wherein the indicator indicates an operational state of a device coupled to the computational platform. A determination is made that the indicator has been modified to disable the device. The indicator is modified to allow enablement of the disabled device. The device is tested to determine whether the device is capable of operating correctly.

Abstract: A system and method for initialization of a computer system is described. Faster initialization of a computer system is possible by allowing certain device driver initialization tasks to overlap with other initialization and operating system tasks. option-ROMs resident on hardware device drivers define the initialization tasks to be performed prior to device driver initialization. Initial computer code for booting the computing device, such as a BIOS, is executed. As option-ROMs for hardware devices are scanned and executed, specific device initialization information is accessed from the devices and placed in pre-defined buffer areas. These accesses occur in parallel to other start up tasks. When device drivers are loaded, some of their initialization has already completed, thereby shortening the time necessary to boot the system.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided for ingress processing optimization via traffic classification and grouping. A plurality of packets are classified according to a classification criterion. The classified packets are used to generate a packet bundle containing packets that are uniform with respect to the classification criterion. The packet bundle and its corresponding packet bundle descriptor are transferred to a host which then processes the packet bundle as a whole according to the information contained in the packet bundle descriptor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, system, and program for adding an operation (e.g., an operation that provides information about data for transfer or a storage operation) to a structure (e.g., a queue). If a priority level associated with a data packet identified by the operation has a first designation comprising a high priority, placing the operation into a first structure (e.g., a queue) with a least number of operations. If the priority level associated with the data packet identified by the operation has a second designation comprising a low priority, placing the operation into a second structure (e.g., a queue) with a most number of operations.

Abstract: Provided is a method and system for managing data processing rates at a network adapter using a temperature sensor. A temperature of a component in the adapter transmitting data over a network is measured. A rate at which data is processed in the adapter over the network is reduced in response to determining that the measured temperature exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: The present invention provides for controlling the order in which packets received from across a network may be processed. A receiver station examines the packets and determines a property of the packet. A priority level is associated with the packet prior to processing. The packet is placed into a queue and processed in an order based at least in part on its priority level. The method may be used to expedite or slow the processing of particular packets, such as advancing the processing order for acknowledgment packets. In addition, other aspects of the present invention relating to determining an order for processing packets by a receiver station.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a device adapted to detect one of receiving an incoming call or initiating an outgoing call. A transmitter is adapted to send a request signal in response to receiving the incoming call or initiating the outgoing call. The request signal may be used to adjust a volume setting or pause operation of an appliance.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system and article of manufacture for adjusting interrupt levels. A current system interrupt rate at a computational device is determined, wherein the current system interrupt rate is a sum of interrupt rates from a plurality of interrupt generating agents. The current system interrupt rate is compared with at least one threshold interrupt rate associated with the computational device. Based on the comparison, an interrupt moderation level is adjusted at an interrupt generating agent of the plurality of interrupt generating agents.

Abstract: A method of reducing a transmission rate includes determining whether a pause has been received. Whether a maximum of an inter-frame spacing (IFS) has been reached is determined if the pause has been received. The inter-frame spacing is increased by a value if the maximum of the inter-frame spacing has not been reached.

Abstract: A network driver provides additional transmit commands to a network interface when the number of transmit commands at the network interface falls below a specified threshold.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for retaining packet order in multiprocessor systems utilizing multiple transmit queues are disclosed herein. Embodiments of the present invention define multiple transmit queues for a given priority level of packets to enable the multiprocessor system to process and queue packets of equal priority in different transmit queues. Queuing packets of equal priority in different transmit queues minimizes processor time spent attempting to acquire queue-specific resources associated with one particular transmit queue. In addition, embodiments of the present invention provide an assignment mechanism to ensure that packets corresponding to a common flow are queued in the same transmit queue in order to eliminate, to the extent possible, out-or-order packets, which many times results in lost packets and a reduction in realized network throughput.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture, wherein in certain embodiments, an indicator is searched for in a computational platform, and wherein the indicator indicates an operational state of a device coupled to the computational platform. A determination is made that the indicator has been modified to disable the device. The indicator is modified to allow enablement of the disabled device. The device is tested to determine whether the device is capable of operating correctly.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing frame overhead in communications on local area networks are disclosed herein. The frame overhead is reduced in communications on local area networks by removing unnecessary addressing information from frames prior to transmission on the network. Logical addressing information, such as an Internet protocol address, is utilized to determine the corresponding physical addressing information, such as an Ethernet media access control address, via an address resolution protocol. The physical addressing information is then incorporated into the frames, and the logical addressing information is removed (or not incorporated into the frame) to provide additional space to carry data, thereby increasing the data throughput of the network connection and potentially reducing the number of frames needed to transmit a given communication from a source to a destination within the network.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for efficiently handling incoming network traffic by preventing protocol stack overruns and minimizing packet latency are disclosed herein. Embodiments of the present invention monitor the level of a protocol stack's packet queue, and, in response to an increase in the level of the packet queue above an initial threshold value, disable the generation of receive interrupts from the communications interface, disable automatic packet indication of packets by the device driver to the protocol stack, and identify and indicate new incoming packets to the protocol stack at a rate equal to or less than the rate at which packets are being processed by the protocol stack. In addition, in response to a decrease in the level of the packet queue below an exit threshold value, the generation of receive interrupts and the automatic indication of packets to the protocol stack may be re-enabled.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for moderating packet ingress interrupts. A network interface includes a packet timer and an absolute timer or absolute counter. The packet timer functions to minimize packet latency during periods of low packet ingress at the network interface. Each of the absolute timer and absolute counter functions to minimize CPU load and packet latency during periods of high packet ingress at the network interface.

Abstract: An interrupt processing apparatus, system, and article including a machine-accessible medium, along with a method of processing interrupts, implement interrupt processing in an efficient, parallel manner that reduces average interrupt latency. In one embodiment, the apparatus may include an interrupt receiver coupled to a plurality of interrupt handlers which respond to uniquely identified interrupting events. Responses may occur in an overlapping fashion in a multi-threaded environment. The system may include a processor coupled to a local memory and an interrupt receiver. Interrupt handlers, which may be coupled to the interrupt receiver, process uniquely identified interrupts. The method may include receiving multiple interrupts and executing corresponding interrupt handlers scheduled in response to receipt of the interrupts, with each handler being uniquely adapted to service a particular interrupting event.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided for ingress processing optimization via traffic classification and grouping. A plurality of packets are classified according to a classification criterion. The classified packets are used to generate a packet bundle containing packets that are uniform with respect to the classification criterion. The packet bundle and its corresponding packet bundle descriptor are transferred to a host which then processes the packet bundle as a whole according to the information contained in the packet bundle descrptor.

Abstract: Two timers are used to improve ingress throughput. Decisions to transfer the ingress packets are made based on when the two timers expire. A first timer is used to time how long a first ingress packet waits before it is transferred. When this first timer expires, the all received ingress packets including the first ingress packet are transferred. A second timer is used to time how long to wait for a new ingress packet to be received. The second timer is reset if a new ingress packet is received before expiration of the second timer. When the second timer expires and no new ingress packet is received during the wait, all received ingress packets including the first ingress packet are transferred.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for moderating packet ingress interrupts. A network interface includes a packet timer and an absolute timer or absolute counter. The packet timer functions to minimize packet latency during periods of low packet ingress at the network interface. Each of the absolute timer and absolute counter functions to minimize CPU load and packet latency during periods of high packet ingress at the network interface.

Abstract: A network driver for transmitting packets. For a particular embodiment the driver receives an indication that a packet is available for transmission and monitors a packet pending transmission status of a network controller. The driver then indicates to the network controller that the packet is available for transmission only when the pending transmission status in one particular embodiment reaches a threshold value. Thus the driver determines how many packets to provide a network controller based on the amount of packets still waiting to be transmitted by the controller.