System for selectively and cumulatively grouping packets from different sessions upon the absence of exception condition and sending the packets after preselected time conditions

• US 5,598,535 A
• Filed: 08/01/1994
• Issued: 01/28/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Brech, Brad L., Slane, Albert A., Delp, Gary S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STANTON, TERANCE
• Application Number:
  US08/283,889
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 395/845, 395/850, 395/853, 395/861, 395/862, 395/865, 395/872, 395/873, 395/874, 395/880, 395/297, 395/200.01, 395/800, 395/741, 395/200.17, 395/200.1, 370/94.1, 370/17, 364/821, 364/862, 364/873, 364/222.2, 364/284.3, 364/284.4
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• 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 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus processing system for enhancing the processing of a plurality of related packets received at a logical unit within a data processing system. A plurality of packets are received at the logical unit. Then each of the plurality of packets are examined and a session identification is obtained for each of the plurality of packets. During a preselected time window, each of the plurality of packets are associated with a group. Each packet in a group has a session identification that is identical to every other packet within the group.

Claims

1. A data processing system for processing a plurality of related packets received at a logical unit within said data processing system, wherein packets from different sessions may be interpersed within said plurality of packets, said data processing system comprising:

a host system, wherein said host system is connected to said logical unit;

reception means for receiving said plurality of packets at said logical unit, wherein each of said plurality of packets includes a header containing a session identifier;

examination means for examining said session identifier in each of said plurality of packets received at said logical unit to identify said session for each of said plurality of packets;

grouping means for selectively and cumulatively grouping all packets within a first identified session received during a first preselected time period in a first group when there is no exception condition related to the packet resources shortage for the first identified session, and for selectively and cumulatively grouping all packets within a second identified session received during a second preselected time period in a second group when there is no exception condition related to the packet resources shortage for the second identified session, wherein said first group is associated with said first preselected time period and said second group is associated with said second preselected time period;

processing means for processing said first group and said second group concurrently;

flushing means for flushing said groups of packets to said host system upon detection of said exception condition; and

transmitting means for transmitting said groups to said host system after each preselected period has completed and the absence of the exception condition.

2. A data processing system for processing a plurality of packets according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of packets further includes a data section.

3. A data processing system for processing a plurality of packets according to claim 1, wherein said data processing system further includes connection means for connecting said host system to said logical unit.