Abstract: A method for receiving data in a network acceleration architecture for use with TCP (transport control protocol), iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface) and/or RDMA (Remote Direct Memory Access) over TCP, including providing a hardware acceleration engine, called a streamer, adapted for communication with and processing data from a consumer application in a system that supports TCP, iSCSI and RDMA over TCP, providing a software protocol processor adapted for carrying out TCP implementation, the software control processor being called a TCE (TCP Control Engine), wherein the streamer and the TCE are adapted to operate asynchronously and independently of one another, and transmitting a TCP segment with the streamer.

Abstract: A mechanism that allows a single physical I/O adapter, such as a PCI, PCI-X, or PCI-E adapter, to perform I/O transactions using the PCI host bus, device, and function numbers to validate that an I/O transaction originated from the proper host is provided. Additionally, a method for facilitating identification of a transaction source partition is provided. An input/output transaction that is directed to a physical adapter is originated from a system image of a plurality of system images. The host data processing system adds an identifier of the system image to the input/output transaction. The input/output transaction is then conveyed to the physical adapter for processing of the input/output transaction.

Abstract: A computer program product is provided. The product including a computer readable storage medium including computer readable program code for controlling access to computer memory.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and distributed data processing system for directly destroying the resources associated with one or more virtual adapters that reside within a physical adapter is provided. A mechanism is provided for directly destroying the resources associated with one or more virtual adapters that reside within a physical adapter, such as a PCI, PCI-X, or PCI-E adapter.

Abstract: A method for directly sharing a network stack offload I/O adapter that directly supports resource virtualization and does not require a LPAR manager or other intermediary to be invoked on every I/O transaction is provided. The present invention also provides a method, computer program product, and distributed data processing system for directly creating and initializing one or more virtual resources that reside within a physical adapter, such as a PCI, PCI-X, or PCI-E adapter, and that are associated with a virtual host. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a mechanism for sharing conventional PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) I/O adapters, PCI-X I/O adapters, PCI-Express I/O adapters, and, in general, any I/O adapter that uses a memory mapped I/O interface for host to adapter communications.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and distributed data processing system that allows a single physical I/O adapter, such as a PCI, PCI-X, or PCI-E adapter, to validate that a direct memory access address referenced by an incoming I/O transaction that was initiated through a memory mapped I/O operation are associated with a virtual adapter or virtual resource that is referenced by the incoming memory mapped I/O operation is provided. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a mechanism for sharing conventional PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) I/O adapters, PCI-X I/O Adapters, PCI-Express I/O Adapters, and, in general, any I/O adapter that uses a memory mapped I/O interface for communications. A single physical I/O adapter validates that one or more direct memory access addresses referenced by an incoming I/O transaction initiated through a memory mapped I/O operation are associated with a virtual adapter or virtual resource that is referenced by the incoming memory mapped I/O operation.

Abstract: A method for directly destroying one or more virtual resources that reside within a physical adapter and that are associated with a virtual host. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a mechanism for sharing conventional Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) I/O adapters, PCI-X I/O adapters, PCI-Express I/O adapters, and, in general, any I/O adapter that uses a memory mapped I/O interface for host to adapter communications.

Abstract: A system and method for maintaining ordering in completion and retransmit operations in an RDMA environment. A system is provided for handling a completion process in an remote data memory access (RDMA) environment having a RequestOut channel and a ResponseOut channel, comprising: a descriptor list for each channel, wherein each descriptor list includes a message descriptor for each message in the channel; an update mechanism for updating a message length field in the message descriptor with a sequence number of a last byte in the message whenever a channel swap occurs between the RequestOut channel and the ResponseOut channel; an acknowledgement (Ack) completion system that examines values in a completion context and compares a sequence number of a next to complete message with a last acknowledged sequence number to determine if the message should be completed; and a read request completion system that performs completion of a read request.

Abstract: A system and method of implementing asynchronous completion notification in an RDMA (remote data memory access) network interface card (RNIC). The method includes the steps of: storing a first CQE number of a most recent CQE placed into the CQ; storing a second CQE number of a most recent CQE retrieved from the CQ; issuing a request for completion notification; packaging the second CQE number with the request; and processing the request, wherein the processing step compares the first CQE number with the second CQE number to determine whether asynchronous completion notification should be immediately performed.

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: A method, computer program product, and a data processing system for posting and retrieving WQEs to a shared receive queue in a manner that alleviates head-of-line blocking issues is provided. The present invention provides a shared receive queue and a posting routine for allowing non-sequential work request postings in the shared receive queue. Additionally, a fetch routine is provided for non-sequential fetching of work queue elements from the shared receive queue.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product that allows a System Image within a multiple System Image Virtual Server to maintain isolation from the other system images while directly exposing a portion, or all, of its associated System Memory to a shared PCI Adapter without the need for each I/O operation to be analyzed and verified by a component trusted by the LPAR manager.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling access to computer resources by multiple software components is described. A locker manager is provided, which is adapted to manage access to shared computer resources by independent software components. If a particular hardware resource is not currently being used and is available, the locker manager grants a particular software component access to the particular computer resource and locks access thereto, wherein none of the other software components can access the particular computer resource until the particular software component has finished accessing the particular computer resource.

Abstract: A method for directly destroying the resources associated with one or more virtual adapters that reside within a physical adapter is provided. A mechanism is provided for directly destroying the resources associated with one or more virtual adapters that reside within a physical adapter, such as a PCI, PCI-X, or PCI-E adapter.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and distributed data processing system that allows a single physical I/O adapter, such as a PCI, PCI-X, or PCI-E adapter, to validate that a direct memory access address referenced by an incoming I/O transaction that was initiated through a memory mapped I/O operation are associated with a virtual adapter or virtual resource that is referenced by the incoming memory mapped I/O operation is provided. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a mechanism for sharing conventional PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) I/O adapters, PCI-X I/O Adapters, PCI-Express I/O Adapters, and, in general, any I/O adapter that uses a memory mapped I/O interface for communications. A single physical I/O adapter validates that one or more direct memory access addresses referenced by an incoming I/O transaction initiated through a memory mapped I/O operation are associated with a virtual adapter or virtual resource that is referenced by the incoming memory mapped I/O operation.

Abstract: A mechanism that allows a single physical I/O adapter, such as a PCI, PCI-X, or PCI-E adapter, to perform I/O transactions using the PCI host bus, device, and function numbers to validate that an I/O transaction originated from the proper host is provided. Additionally, a method for facilitating identification of a transaction source partition is provided. An input/output transaction that is directed to a physical adapter is originated from a system image of a plurality of system images. The host data processing system adds an identifier of the system image to the input/output transaction. The input/output transaction is then conveyed to the physical adapter for processing of the input/output transaction.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and distributed data processing system that enables host software or firmware to map PCI adapter virtual resources to PCI bus addresses that are associated with a system image is provided. Virtual addresses maintained in a protection table segment assigned to a system image are mapped to physical addresses defined in entries of an address table segment assigned to the system image. Discontiguous memory regions identified in entries of the address table segment may thus be mapped to a contiguous virtual address space.

Abstract: An RNIC implementation that performs direct data placement to memory where all segments of a particular connection are aligned, or moves data through reassembly buffers where all segments of a particular connection are non-aligned. The type of connection that cuts-through without accessing the reassembly buffers is referred to as a “Fast” connection because it is highly likely to be aligned, while the other type is referred to as a “Slow” connection. When a consumer establishes a connection, it specifies a connection type. The connection type can change from Fast to Slow and back. The invention reduces memory bandwidth, latency, error recovery using TCP retransmit and provides for a “graceful recovery” from an empty receive queue. The implementation also may conduct CRC validation for a majority of inbound DDP segments in the Fast connection before sending a TCP acknowledgement (Ack) confirming segment reception.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and distributed data processing system that enables host software or firmware to allocate virtual resources to one or more system images from a single physical I/O adapter, such as a PCI, PCI-X, or PCI-E adapter, is provided. Adapter resource groups are assigned to respective system images. An adapter resource group is exclusively available to the system image to which the adapter resource group assignment was made. Assignment of adapter resource groups may be made per a relative resource assignment or an absolute resource assignment. In another embodiment, adapter resource groups are assigned to system images on a first come, first served basis.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for sharing adapter resources among multiple operating system instances. The present invention provides a mechanism for dynamically allocating virtualized I/O adapter resources. The present invention separates the operation of adapter resource allocation from adapter resource management. Protection attributes within the adapter resource context are used to allow the adapter to enforce access control over the adapter resources. The hypervisor allocates an available adapter resource to a given partition. The adapter is notified of the allocation, and the adapter updates its internal structure to reflect the allocation. The hypervisor may revoke ownership of and reassign adapter resources to another OS instance. In this manner, the allocation described above allows for the simple reassignment of resources from one partition to another.