Method and apparatus enabling both legacy and new applications to access an InfiniBand fabric via a socket API

• US 20030061402A1
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Yadav, Satyendra
• Granted Patent: US 6,895,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/663 Transport layer addresses, e.g. aspects of transmission control protocol [TCP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/321 Interlayer communication protocols or service data unit [SDU] definitions; Interfaces between layers

Abstract

An intermediate layer referred to as InfiniSock that enables socket-based, legacy applications to access an InfiniBand® fabric, while also enabling new applications designed to take advantage of the InfiniBand® Architecture to function within a socket API environment. The InfiniSock layer supports the traditional AF_INET address family and also includes a novel address family referred to as AF_IB to support the InfiniBand® Architecture.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving data from an application;

creating a socket;

associating the socket with an AF_INET address family and performing a mapping between a socket API and an SDP layer if the application is a legacy application; and

associating the socket with an AF_IB address family and performing a mapping between the socket API and an IB verb if the application is a new application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the data to a channel adapter for transmission over an IBA fabric.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the application is a new application, the act of performing a mapping between the socket API and an IB verb comprising performing a mapping between the socket API and the SDP layer.

4. A system comprising:

a channel adapter coupled with an IBA fabric, the channel adapter to receive data from applications;

a socket API to provide an interface with the applications; and

an InfiniSock layer to provide an interface between the socket API and the channel adapter, the InfiniSock layer including an AF_INET address family and an AF_IB address family, the InfiniSock layer to provide a mapping between the socket API and an SDP layer for legacy applications and a mapping between the socket API and an IB verb for new applications.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a socket, the socket associated with one of the AF_NET address family and the AF_IB address family.

6. The system of claim 4, the InfiniSock layer to provide a mapping between the socket API and the SDP layer for a new application.

7. An article of manufacture comprising:

a machine accessible medium providing content that, when accessed by a machine, causes the machine to

receive data from an application;

create a socket;

associate the socket with an AF_INET address family and perform a mapping between a socket API and an SDP layer if the application is a legacy application; and

associate the socket with an AF_IB address family and perform a mapping between the socket API and an IB verb if the application is a new application.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein the content, when accessed, further causes the machine to provide the data to a channel adapter for transmission over an IBA fabric.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein the application is a new application and the content, when accessed, further causes the machine to perform a mapping between the socket API and the SDP layer.

10. A network comprising:

an IBA fabric;

a first system coupled with the IBA fabric, the first system including

a channel adapter coupling the first system with the IBA fabric, the channel adapter to receive data from applications resident on the first system,

a socket API to provide an interface with the applications, and

an InfiniSock layer to provide an interface between the socket API and the channel adapter, the InfiniSock layer including an AF_NET address family and an AF_IB address family, the InfiniSock layer to provide a mapping between the socket API and an SDP layer for legacy applications and a mapping between the socket API and an IB verb for new applications; and

a second system coupled with the IBA fabric.

11. The network of claim 10, the applications of the first system including a legacy application and a new application.

12. The network of claim 10, the second system including a legacy application.

13. The network of claim 10, the second system including a new application.

14. The network of claim 10, the second system comprising:

a channel adapter coupling the second system with the IBA fabric, the channel adapter to receive data from applications resident on the second system;

a socket API to provide an interface with the applications; and

an InfiniSock layer to provide an interface between the socket API and the channel adapter, the InfiniSock layer including an AF_INET address family and an AF_IB address family, the InfiniSock layer to provide a mapping between the socket API and an SDP layer for legacy applications and a mapping between the socket API and an IB verb for new applications.