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 network acceleration architecture for use with TCP, iSCSI and/or RDMA over TCP, including a hardware acceleration engine adapted for communication with and processing data from a consumer application in a system that supports TCP, iSCSI and RDMA over TCP, a software protocol processor adapted for carrying out TCP implementation, and an asynchronous dual-queue interface for exchanging information between the hardware acceleration engine and the software protocol processor, wherein the hardware acceleration engine and the software protocol processor are adapted to operate asynchronously and independently of one another.

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 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 receiving an inbound TCP segment with the streamer.

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 implementing TCP (transmission control protocol), the method including updating a number of pending requests received for data transmission via a TCP connection, the number of pending requests being called the message count, and making a decision regarding data transmission based on the message count regardless of a byte count of data to be transmitted.

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, computer program product, and distributed data processing system that allows a single physical I/O adapter to validate that a memory mapped I/O address referenced by an incoming I/O operation is associated with a virtual host that initiated the incoming memory mapped I/O operation is provided. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a mechanism for sharing a PCI family I/O adapter and, in general, any I/O adapter that uses a memory mapped I/O interface for communications. A mechanism is provided that allows a single physical I/O adapter to validate that a memory mapped I/O address referenced by an incoming memory mapped I/O operation used to initiate an I/O transaction is associated with a virtual host that initiated 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 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, 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.

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 mechanism for modifying resources in a logically partitioned data processing system is provided. A request to modify resources associated with a virtual adapter allocated on a physical adapter is invoked. The resources associated with the virtual adapter comprise a subset of the physical adapter resources. The request to modify the physical adapter is conveyed to the physical adapter. Responsive to receipt of the request by the physical adapter, the physical adapter modifies the resources allocated to the virtual adapter.

Abstract: A mechanism for handling event notifications or interrupts in a logically partitioned computing system having IO adapters that support adapter virtualization are provided. A virtual adapter associated with a physical IO adapter detects an event, identifies a logical partition associated with the event, and writes an event notification entry in a partition interrupt control block (PICB) of the logical partition memory space. The virtual adapter notifies shared control point logic on the physical IO adapter of the update to the PICB which may then write an entry to a logical partition manager interrupt control block (LPAR manager ICB) identifying the update to the PICB and the operating system associated with the PICB. The LPAR manager may then inform the operating system of the logical partition of the updates to the PICB which may then read the entries in the PICB, process them and inform appropriate application instances of the events.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and distributed data processing system for modifying one or more virtual resources that reside within a physical adapter, such as a peripheral component interconnect (PCI), PCI-X, or PCI-E adapter, and that are associated with a virtual host is provided. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a mechanism for sharing conventional 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. A mechanism is provided for directly modifying 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.

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, computer program product, and distributed data processing system 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 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: A method, computer program product, and distributed data processing system 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 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 use a PCI adapter identifier to associate its resources to a system image and isolate them from other system images thereby providing I/O virtualization is provided. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a mechanism for sharing among multiple system images a 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 mechanism is provided that allows a single physical I/O adapter, such as a PCI, PCI-X, or PCI-E adapter, to use a PCI adapter identifier to associate its resources to a system image and isolate them from other system images, thereby providing I/O virtualization.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and distributed data processing system for directly sharing an I/O adapter that directly supports adapter virtualization and does not require an 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 a virtual adapter and associated resources on a physical adapter, such as a PCI, PCI-X, or PCI-E adapter. 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 mechanism is provided for directly creating and initializing a virtual adapter and associated resources within a physical adapter, such as a PCI, PCI-X, or PCI-E adapter.