Method of Handling Network Traffic Through Optimization of Receive Side Scaling4

• US 20150046618A1
• Filed: 09/18/2014
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Domsch, Matthew L., Hernandez, Hendrich M., Winter, Robert L., Dube, Shawn J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,569,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/267
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/24 using interrupt G06F13/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5005 to service a request
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• 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

Abstract

An information handling system includes a plurality of processors that each includes a cache memory, and a receive side scaling (RSS) indirection table with a plurality of pointers that each points to one of the processors. A network data packet received by the information handling system determines a pointer to a first processor. In response to determining the pointer, information associated with the network data packet is transferred to the cache memory of the first processor. The information handling system also includes a process scheduler that moves a process associated with the network data packet from a second processor to the first processor, and an RSS module that directs the process scheduler to move the process and associates the first pointer with the processor in response to directing the process scheduler.

Claims

1. An network interface device comprising:

a receive side scaling (RSS) module operable to;

provide a first pointer of a plurality of pointers to point to a first processor of a plurality of processors, wherein each pointer identifies a respective processor; and

provide a first interrupt of a plurality of interrupts to be associated with the first processor, wherein each interrupt is associated with a respective processor;

wherein the network interface device is operable to;

receive a first data packet;

select the first pointer in response to receiving the first network data packet;

transfer the first data packet to the first processor in response to selecting the first pointer; and

provide the first interrupt to the first processor in response to transferring the first data packet.

2. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein the RSS module is further operable to:

direct a process scheduler to move a process associated with the first data packet from the first processor to a second processor of the plurality of processors.

3. The network interface device of claim 2, wherein the RSS module is further operable to:

in response to directing the process scheduler;

change the first point to point to a second processor of the plurality of processors; and

change the association of the first interrupt to be associated with the second processor;

wherein the network interface device is further operable to;

receive a second data packet associated with the process;

select the first pointer in response to receiving the second data packet;

transfer the second network data packet to the second processor in response to selecting the first pointer; and

provide the first interrupt to the second processor in response to transferring the second network data packet.

4. The network interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

a hash type module that implements a plurality of hash type operations, each hash type operation being operable to select a field of the first data packet;

wherein;

selecting the first pointer is in response to the hash type module implementing a first hash type operation of the plurality of hash type operations; and

the RSS module is further operable to select the first hash type operation.

5. The network interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

a hash function module that implements a plurality of hash function operations, each hash function operation being operable to select a hash function to perform on the first network data packet;

wherein;

selecting the first pointer is in response to the hash function module implementing a first one of the hash function operations; and

the RSS module is further operable to select the first hash function operation.

6. The network interface device of claim 5, wherein the RSS module selects the first hash function operation in response to determining a load on the first processor.

7. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein:

the RSS module is further operable to;

provide a second pointer of the plurality of pointers to point to a second processor of the plurality of processors; and

provide a second interrupt of the plurality of interrupts to be associated with the second processor;

wherein the network interface device is further operable to;

receive a second data packet;

select the second pointer in response to receiving the second data packet;

transfer the second data packet to the second processor in response to selecting the second pointer; and

provide the second interrupt to the second processor in response to transferring the second network data packet.

8. A method comprising:

providing, by a receive side scaling (RSS) module of a network interface device, a first pointer of a plurality of pointers to point to a first processor of a plurality of processors, wherein each pointer identifies a respective processor;

providing, by the RSS module, a first interrupt of a plurality of interrupts to be associated with the first processor, wherein each interrupt is associated with a respective processor;

receiving, by the network interface device, a first data packet;

selecting, by the network interface device, the first pointer in response to receiving the first data packet;

transferring, by the network interface device, the first data packet to the first processor in response to selecting the first pointer; and

providing, by the network interface device, the first interrupt to the first processor in response to transferring the first data packet.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

directing, by the RSS module, a process scheduler to move a process associated with the first data packet from the first processor to a second processor of the plurality of processors.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

in response to directing the process scheduler;

changing, by the RSS module, the first point to point to a second processor of the plurality of processors; and

changing, by the RSS module, the association of the first interrupt to be associated with the second processor;

receiving, by the network interface device, a second data packet associated with the process;

selecting, by the network interface device, the first pointer in response to receiving the second data packet;

transferring, by the network interface device, the second network data packet to the second processor in response to selecting the first pointer; and

providing, by the network interface device, the first interrupt to the second processor in response to transferring the second network data packet.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

implementing, by a hash type module, a plurality of hash type operations, each hash type operation being operable to select a field of the first data packet; and

selecting, by the RSS module, a first hash type operation of the plurality of hash type operations;

wherein selecting the first pointer is in response to the hash type module implementing the first hash type operation.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

implementing, by a hash function module, a plurality of hash function operations, each hash function operation being operable to select a hash function to perform on the first network data packet; and

selecting, by the RSS module, a first hash function operation of the plurality of hash function operations;

wherein selecting the first pointer is in response to the hash function module implementing the first hash function operation.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

selecting, by the RSS module, the first hash function operation in response to determining a load on the first processor.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing, by the RSS module, a second pointer of the plurality of pointers to point to a second processor of the plurality of processors;

providing, by the RSS module, a second interrupt of the plurality of interrupts to be associated with the second processor;

receiving, by the network interface device, a second data packet;

selecting, by the network interface device, the second pointer in response to receiving the second data packet;

transferring, by the network interface device, the second data packet to the second processor in response to selecting the second pointer; and

providing, by the network interface device, the second interrupt to the second processor in response to transferring the second data packet.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including code for performing a method, the method comprising:

providing, by a receive side scaling (RSS) module of a network interface device, a first pointer of a plurality of pointers to point to a first processor of a plurality of processors, wherein each pointer identifies a respective processor;

providing, by the RSS module, a first interrupt of a plurality of interrupts to be associated with the first processor, wherein each interrupt is associated with a respective processor;

receiving, by the network interface device, a first data packet;

selecting, by the network interface device, the first pointer in response to receiving the first data packet;

transferring, by the network interface device, the first data packet to the first processor in response to selecting the first pointer; and

providing, by the network interface device, the first interrupt to the first processor in response to transferring the first data packet.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the method further comprising:

directing, by the RSS module, a process scheduler to move a process associated with the first data packet from the first processor to a second processor of the plurality of processors.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, the method further comprising:

in response to directing the process scheduler;

changing, by the RSS module, the first point to point to a second processor of the plurality of processors; and

changing, by the RSS module, the association of the first interrupt to be associated with the second processor;

receiving, by the network interface device, a second data packet associated with the process;

selecting, by the network interface device, the first pointer in response to receiving the second data packet;

transferring, by the network interface device, the second network data packet to the second processor in response to selecting the first pointer; and

providing, by the network interface device, the first interrupt to the second processor in response to transferring the second network data packet.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the method further comprising:

implementing, by a hash type module, a plurality of hash type operations, each hash type operation being operable to select a field of the first data packet; and

selecting, by the RSS module, a first hash type operation of the plurality of hash type operations;

wherein selecting the first pointer is in response to the hash type module implementing the first hash type operation.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the method further comprising:

implementing, by a hash function module, a plurality of hash function operations, each hash function operation being operable to select a hash function to perform on the first network data packet; and

selecting, by the RSS module, a first hash function operation of the plurality of hash function operations;

wherein selecting the first pointer is in response to the hash function module implementing the first hash function operation.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, the method further comprising:

selecting, by the RSS module, the first hash function operation in response to determining a load on the first processor.