Abstract: A mechanism for speculative packet transmission including a credit-based flow control interconnect device to initiate speculative transmission of a Transaction Layer Packet if the number of available flow control (FC) credits is insufficient for completing the transmission. The sending device initiates a speculative transmission of packets to the receiving device even though the packet for transmission requires a number of FC credits greater than the available FC credits. If the additional FC credits required to complete the packet transmission become available to the sending device before the transmission is completed, the packets are then fully transmitted by the sending device. Otherwise, if the additional FC credits required do not become available prior to completion of the transmission, then the sending device aborts the transmission without utilization of the FC credits. The sending device may initiate speculative packet transmission only if a particular minimal amount of FC credits is available.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus are disclosed for throttling a point-to-point, serial I/O expansion subsystem within a computing system that include: receiving, by a link configuration module, an external environmental parameter value representing a condition of an environment external to the computing system; determining, by the link configuration module, a link configuration of a communication link for an I/O adapter in a point-to-point, serial I/O expansion subsystem within the computing system in dependence upon the external environmental parameter value; and configuring, by the link configuration module, the communication link for the I/O adapter in dependence upon the link configuration.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus are disclosed for throttling a point-to-point, serial I/O expansion subsystem within a computing system that include: receiving, by a link configuration module, an external environmental parameter value representing a condition of an environment external to the computing system; determining, by the link configuration module, a link configuration of a communication link for an I/O adapter in a point-to-point, serial I/O expansion subsystem within the computing system in dependence upon the external environmental parameter value; and configuring, by the link configuration module, the communication link for the I/O adapter in dependence upon the link configuration.

Abstract: Device, system and method of speculative packet transmission. For example, an apparatus for speculative packet transmission includes: a credit-based flow control interconnect device to initiate speculative transmission of a Transaction Layer Packet if a number of available flow control credits is insufficient for completing the transmission.

Abstract: In a method of communicating management information from a completing entity to a requesting entity in a digital communication system, the availability of management information to be sent from the completing entity to the requesting entity is detected when generating a data packet that does not have a primary purpose of transmitting management information. The management information is included in a management information data field and the management information data field is appended to the data packet. The data packet and the management information are transmitted from the completing entity to the requesting entity.