Abstract: A method for dynamic management of Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) reassembly buffers in hardware (e.g., in a TCP/IP offload engine (TOE)). The method comprises: providing a plurality of data blocks and an indirect list; pointing, via entries in the indirect list, to allocated data blocks in the plurality of data blocks that currently store incoming data; if a free data block in the plurality of data blocks is required for the storage of incoming data, allocating the free data block for storing incoming data; and, if an allocated data block in the plurality of data blocks is no longer needed for storing incoming data, deallocating the allocated data block such that the deallocated data block becomes a free data block.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems for controlling flow of data between a memory of a host computer system and a data communications interface for communicating data between the host computer system and a data communications network. In an example embodiment, an apparatus includes a descriptor table for storing a plurality of descriptors for access by the host computer system and data communications interface. Descriptor logic generates the descriptors for storage in the descriptor table. The descriptors include a branch descriptor comprising a link to another descriptor in the table.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and systems for controlling data flow between data processing systems. In an example embodiment, the apparatus includes descriptor logic for generating a plurality of descriptors including a frame descriptor defining a data packet to be communicated between a location in the memory and a data processing system, and a pointer descriptor identifying the location in the memory. The apparatus also includes a descriptor table for storing descriptors generated by the descriptor logic for access by the data processing systems.

Abstract: A network interface device includes receive logic, which is coupled to receive from a network a sequence of data packets, each packet including respective header data. A protocol processor is coupled to read and process the header data so as to identify a group of the received packets that contain respective fragments of a data frame, the fragments having a fragment order within the data frame. Host interface logic is coupled to a host memory accessible by a host processor, and is controlled by the protocol processor so as to allocate space for the data frame in the host memory, and to reassemble the fragments of the data frame in the fragment order in the space allocated in the host memory.

Abstract: A method of offloading, from a host data processing unit (205), iSCSI TCP/IP processing of data streams coming through at least one TCP/IP connection (3071,3072,3073), and a related iSCSI TCP/IP Offload Engine (TOE). The method including: providing a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) header queue (311) adapted to store headers (HDR11, . . . , HDR32) of iSCSI PDUs received through the at least one TCP/IP connection; monitoring the at least one TCP/IP connection for an incoming iSCSI PDU to be processed; when at least a iSCSI PDU header is received through the at least one TCP/IP connection, extracting the iSCSI PDU header from the received PDU, and placing the extracted iSCSI PDU header into the PDU header queue; looking at the PDU header queue for ascertaining the presence of iSCSI PDUs to be processed, and processing the incoming iSCSI PDU based on information in the extracted iSCSU PDU header retrieved from the PDU header queue.

Abstract: A network interface device includes host interface logic, arranged to receive from a host processor a frame of outgoing data that includes outgoing header information and outgoing payload data, and to separate the header information from the payload data. A transmit protocol processor is coupled to read and process the outgoing header information from the outgoing header memory so as to generate at least one outgoing packet header in accordance with a predetermined network protocol. Transmit logic is coupled to receive and associate the at least one outgoing packet header with the outgoing payload data from the outgoing data memory, so as to generate at least one outgoing data packet for transmission over a network in accordance with the protocol.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamic management of Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) reassembly buffers in hardware (e.g., in a TCP/IP offload engine (TOE)). The method comprises: providing a plurality of data blocks and an indirect list; pointing, via entries in the indirect list, to allocated data blocks in the plurality of data blocks that currently store incoming data; if a free data block in the plurality of data blocks is required for the storage of incoming data, allocating the free data block for storing incoming data; and, if an allocated data block in the plurality of data blocks is no longer needed for storing incoming data, deallocating the allocated data block such that the deallocated data block becomes a free data block.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and systems are described for controlling flow of data between first and second data processing systems via a memory. In an example embodiment, the apparatus comprises descriptor logic for generating a plurality of descriptors including a frame descriptor defining a data packet to be communicated between a location in the memory and the second data processing system, and a pointer descriptor identifying the location in the memory. The apparatus also comprises a descriptor table for storing the descriptors generated by the descriptor logic for access by the first and second data processing system.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems are provided for controlling flow of data between a memory of a host computer system and a data communications interface for communicating data between the host computer system and a data communications network. In an example embodiment, apparatus comprises a descriptor table for storing a plurality of descriptors for access by the host computer system and data communications interface. Descriptor logic generates the descriptors for storage in the descriptor table. The descriptors include a branch descriptor comprising a link to another descriptor in the table.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for transferring interrupts from a peripheral device to a host computer system is described. In an example embodiment, an apparatus comprises a buffer for storing indications of interrupts generated by the peripheral device. In response to a preset condition being met, a controller generates a control data block having a payload portion, moves the contents of the buffer to the payload portion of the control data block, and sends the control data block to the host computer system.

Abstract: In a computer network system that includes a multiplicity of nodes interconnected by a network of switches, wherein the nodes are linked to the network by respective data link adapters, a method for testing the adapters. One of the nodes is selected to serve as a destination node, and data are conveyed at a controlled rate from a plurality of the nodes, other than the destination node, through the respective adapters to the destination node. An error is detected in the data conveyed from one of the nodes so as to identify a fault in the adapter of that node.

Abstract: A data communications interface for a node of data processing network comprises a data transmission path, a transmission control path, a data reception path, and a reception control path. Transmission segmentation logic receives a data frame, comprising a transmission header and a transmission payload, from the node. The transmission segmentation logic supplies the transmission payload to the data transmission path and the transmission header to the transmission control path. A transmission processor in the transmission control path controls communication of data from the transmission payload to the network via the data transmission path in dependence on the transmission header. Reception segmentation logic receives a data packet, comprising a reception header and a reception payload, from the network. The reception segmentation logic supplies the reception payload to the data reception path and the reception header to the reception control path.

Abstract: A network interface device includes host interface logic, arranged to receive from a host processor a frame of outgoing data that includes outgoing header information and outgoing payload data, and to separate the header information from the payload data. A transmit protocol processor is coupled to read and process the outgoing header information from the outgoing header memory so as to generate at least one outgoing packet header in accordance with a predetermined network protocol. Transmit logic is coupled to receive and associate the at least one outgoing packet header with the outgoing payload data from the outgoing data memory, so as to generate at least one outgoing data packet for transmission over a network in accordance with the protocol.

Abstract: A network interface device includes receive logic, which is coupled to receive from a network a sequence of data packets, each packet including respective header data. A protocol processor is coupled to read and process the header data so as to identify a group of the received packets that contain respective fragments of a data frame, the fragments having a fragment order within the data frame. Host interface logic is coupled to a host memory accessible by a host processor, and is controlled by the protocol processor so as to allocate space for the data frame in the host memory, and to reassemble the fragments of the data frame in the fragment order in the space allocated in the host memory.