Abstract: A method for determining if a cable is present at a network connection, and adjusting a power signal to the network connection depending upon whether or not a cable is present is disclosed.

Abstract: A media access controller for a network interface card accommodates protocol checksum offloads by calculating a hardware assisted checksum for an indiscriminate region of a packet including all or part of the layer 2 header, all of the layer 3 header, all of the layer 4 header, and all data payload areas of the packet. The hardware assisted checksum is then adjusted by software which subtracts non-relevant fields within the packet from the hardware assisted checksum and then verifies the checksum.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and system of dynamically selecting a technique to coalesce data that optimally transports data between a controller and computer system memory, based on the computer system capabilities and system bus loads. The network controller is coupled to a data communications network and to a computer system bus infrastructure, which facilitates data transport. The system examines the contents of system configuration parameters, determines the preference of a first data coalesce technique, which is system bus-intensive and maximizes throughput. The system transports network-bound data from system memory to the network controller in accordance with this first data coalesce technique. Transmit underrun error statistics of the network controller are collected and examined at regular intervals. If the error statistics exceed a predefined transmit error threshold, the system automatically switches to a second data coalesce technique that is not as system bus-intensive nor as fast.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for protecting data using lock values in a computer system includes indicating that the computer system does not support locked accesses to the data. However, upon receipt of a request to write to the storage area where the data is contained, the present invention checks whether a lock value corresponding to the request matches a predetermined lock value. If the lock value matches the predetermined lock value, then the data is written to the storage area; otherwise, the storage area is left unmodified.

Abstract: A request is received from a caller to perform a read of data from a storage area of a computer system, the data having master header data in a header portion. The master header data is replaced with alternate header data before returning the data to the caller. The data, including the alternate header data, is returned to the caller. A request is received from the caller to perform a write of caller data to the storage area, the caller data having caller header data in a header portion of the caller data. The write of caller data is allowed only if the caller header data is identical to the master header data.

Abstract: A status parameter is set for a storage area of a computer system to a read-only status. An access key is received from an access key call by a caller. The status parameter is changed to a write-permissible status if the access key matches a master access key. A request to perform a write to the storage area is received, and the write is allowed only if the status parameter has been set to the write-permissible status. The status parameter is reset to the read-only status after the write is performed.

Abstract: A request to erase a storage area of a computer system is received via an erase call by a caller, the erase call containing an erasure key. The storage area is erased only if the erasure key matches a master erasure key corresponding to the storage area. A request is received to perform a write to the storage area, and the write is allowed only if the storage area has been erased.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for protecting data using lock values in a computer system includes indicating that the computer system does not support locked accesses to the data. However, upon receipt of a request to write to the storage area where the data is contained, the present invention checks whether a lock value corresponding to the request matches a predetermined lock value. If the lock value matches the predetermined lock value, then the data is written to the storage area; otherwise, the storage area is left unmodified.