Interrupt coalescing control scheme

• US 20080077724A1
• Filed: 09/22/2006
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Vasudevan, Anil, Sarangam, Parthasarathy
• Granted Patent: US 7,987,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/264
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/26 with priority control

Abstract

In an embodiment, a method is provided. The method of this embodiment provides determining a flow context associated with a receive packet; and if the flow context complies with a dynamic interrupt moderation policy having one or more rules, generating an interrupt to process the receive packet substantially independently of an interrupt generated in accordance with an interrupt coalescing scheme (“coalesced interrupt”). Other embodiments are disclosed and/or claimed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a flow context associated with a receive packet; and

if the flow context complies with a dynamic interrupt moderation policy having one or more rules, generating an interrupt to process the receive packet substantially independently of an interrupt generated in accordance with an interrupt coalescing scheme (“

coalesced interrupt”

).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the rules of the dynamic interrupt moderation policy is determined by a user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the rules of the dynamic interrupt moderation policy is determined by identifying packets in which one or more dynamic interrupt flags is enabled.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the rules of the dynamic interrupt moderation policy is determined by monitoring one or more characteristics associated with flows.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the rules of the dynamic interrupt moderation policy is predetermined.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the rules of the dynamic interrupt moderation policy is associated with one or more conditions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy is modifiable.

8. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising generating a coalesced interrupt if the flow context does not comply with the dynamic interrupt moderation policy.

9. An apparatus comprising:

logic operable to;

determine a flow context associated with a receive packet; and

if the flow context complies with a dynamic interrupt moderation policy having one or more rules, the logic further operable to generate an interrupt to process the receive packet substantially independently of an interrupt generated in accordance with an interrupt coalescing scheme (“

coalesced interrupt”

).

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one of the rules of the dynamic interrupt moderation policy is determined by identifying packets in which one or more dynamic interrupt flags is enabled.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one of the rules of the dynamic interrupt moderation policy is determined by monitoring one or more characteristics associated with flows.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one of the rules of the dynamic interrupt moderation policy is associated with one or more conditions.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, additionally comprising generating a coalesced interrupt if the flow context does not comply with the dynamic interrupt moderation policy.

14. A system comprising:

an offload engine on a circuit card coupled to a circuit board; and

logic on the offload engine to;

determine a flow context associated with a receive packet; and

if the flow context complies with a dynamic interrupt moderation policy having one or more rules, the logic further operable to generate an interrupt to process the receive packet substantially independently of an interrupt generated in accordance with an interrupt coalescing scheme (“

coalesced interrupt”

).

15. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the rules of the dynamic interrupt moderation policy is determined by identifying packets in which one or more dynamic interrupt flags is enabled.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the rules of the dynamic interrupt moderation policy is determined by monitoring one or more characteristics associated with flows.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the rules of the dynamic interrupt moderation policy is associated with one or more conditions.

18. The system of claim 14, additionally comprising generating a coalesced interrupt if the flow context does not comply with the dynamic interrupt moderation policy.

19. An article of manufacture having stored thereon instructions, the instructions when executed by a machine, result in the following:

determining a flow context associated with a receive packet; and

if the flow context complies with a dynamic interrupt moderation policy having one or more rules, generating an interrupt to process the receive packet substantially independently of an interrupt generated in accordance with an interrupt coalescing scheme (“

coalesced interrupt”

).

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein at least one of the rules of the dynamic interrupt moderation policy is determined by a user.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein at least one of the rules of the dynamic interrupt moderation policy is determined by identifying packets in which one or more dynamic interrupt flags is enabled.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein at least one of the rules of the dynamic interrupt moderation policy is determined by monitoring one or more characteristics associated with flows.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein at least one of the rules of the dynamic interrupt moderation policy is predetermined.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein at least one of the rules of the dynamic interrupt moderation policy is associated with one or more conditions.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the policy is modifiable.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 19, additionally comprising generating a coalesced interrupt if the flow context does not comply with the dynamic interrupt moderation policy.