Method and network interface logic for providing embedded checksums
First Claim
1. A method using a computer for providing an embedded checksum in a packet transferred over a packet network, the packet network comprising a plurality of interconnected, directly-attached computers operative to provide data fidelity between any neighboring pair of such computers at least as robust as such data fidelity between any non-neighboring pair of such computers, each computer comprising packet storage means and network interface means, comprising the steps of:
- (a) sending such a packet directly onto the packet network from the packet storage means of a source computer using its network interface means;
(b) receiving the packet from the packet network and transferring the packet directly into the packet storage means of a sibling computer using its network interface means; and
(c) associating such an embedded checksum with the packet at the sibling computer with the embedded checksum being calculated by at least one of the source computer or the sibling computer based on substantially the entire packet for validating error-free receipt.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and network interface logic for providing an embedded checksum in a packet transferred over a packet network. The packet network comprises a plurality of interconnected, directly-attached computers operative to provide data fidelity between any neighboring pair of such computers at least as robust as such data fidelity between any non-neighboring pair of such computers. Each computer comprises packet storage means and network interface means. Such a packet is sent directly onto the packet network from the packet storage means of a source computer using its network interface means. The packet is received from the packet network and transferred directly into the packet storage means of a sibling computer using its network interface means. Such an embedded checksum is associated with the packet at the sibling computer with the embedded checksum being calculated by at least one of the source computer or the sibling computer based on substantially the entire packet for validating error-free receipt.
95 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method using a computer for providing an embedded checksum in a packet transferred over a packet network, the packet network comprising a plurality of interconnected, directly-attached computers operative to provide data fidelity between any neighboring pair of such computers at least as robust as such data fidelity between any non-neighboring pair of such computers, each computer comprising packet storage means and network interface means, comprising the steps of:
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(a) sending such a packet directly onto the packet network from the packet storage means of a source computer using its network interface means; (b) receiving the packet from the packet network and transferring the packet directly into the packet storage means of a sibling computer using its network interface means; and (c) associating such an embedded checksum with the packet at the sibling computer with the embedded checksum being calculated by at least one of the source computer or the sibling computer based on substantially the entire packet for validating error-free receipt. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. Network interface logic for providing an embedded checksum in a packet transferred over a packet network, the packet network comprising a plurality of interconnected, directly-attached computers operative to provide data fidelity between any neighboring pair of such computers at least as robust as such data fidelity between any non-neighboring pair of such computers, each computer comprising packet storage means and network interface means, comprising:
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(a) means for sending such a packet directly onto the packet network from the packet storage means of a source computer using its network interface means; (b) means for receiving the packet from the packet network and means for transferring the packet directly into the packet storage means of a sibling computer using its network interface means; and (c) means for associating such an embedded checksum with the packet at the sibling computer with the embedded checksum being calculated by at least one of the source computer or the sibling computer based on substantially the entire packet for validating error-free receipt.
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13. A method using a computer for providing an embedded checksum through postponed checksum calculation in a packet transferred over a packet network, the packet network comprising a plurality of interconnected, directly-attached computers operative to provide data fidelity between any neighboring pair of such computers at least as robust as such data fidelity between any non-neighboring pair of such computers, the packet comprising a header for storing the embedded checksum and a payload for storing the data being transferred, each computer comprising a main memory and network interface logic, comprising the steps of:
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(a) transmitting the header without such an embedded checksum and the payload from the main memory of the source computer directly onto the packet network using the network interface logic of the source computer; (b) receiving the header and the payload from the packet network and transferring the payload directly into the main memory of the sibling computer using the network interface logic of a sibling computer; and (c) accumulating the checksum with a checksum register in the network interface logic of the sibling computer as the packet is received from the packet network and embedding the accumulated checksum from the checksum register into the header. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. Network interface logic for providing an embedded checksum through postponed checksum calculation in a packet transferred over a packet network, the packet network comprising a plurality of interconnected, directly-attached computers operative to provide data fidelity between any neighboring pair of such computers at least as robust as such data fidelity between any non-neighboring pair of such computers, the packet comprising a header for storing the embedded checksum and a payload for storing the data being transferred, each computer comprising a main memory, comprising:
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(a) a network interface logic in a source computer for transmitting the header without such an embedded checksum and the payload from the main memory of the source computer directly onto the packet network; (b) a network interface logic in a sibling computer for receiving the header and the payload from the packet network and for transferring the payload directly into the main memory of the sibling computer; and (c) a checksum register in the network interface logic of the sibling computer for accumulating the checksum as the packet is received from the packet network, the network interface logic of the sibling computer embedding the accumulated checksum from the checksum register into the header.
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17. A method using a computer for providing an embedded checksum in a packet network, the packet network comprising a plurality of directly-attached computers operative to provide data fidelity between any neighboring pair of such computers at least as robust as such data fidelity between any non-neighboring pair of such computers, each computer comprising a plurality of buffers for packet storages, network interface means for network interconnection, and processor means, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) converting a packet using the network interface means on a source computer into a set of signals as the packet is read directly from one of the plurality of storage buffers on the source computer; (b) sending the set of signals using the network interface means on the source computer onto the packet network; (c) receiving the set of signals using the network interface means on a sibling computer from the packet network; (d) converting the set of signals using the network interface means on the sibling computer back into the packet and transferring the packet directly into one of the plurality of storage buffers on the sibling computer; (e) accumulating an end-to-end checksum using the network interface means on the sibling computer during step (c); (f) evaluating the packet using the network interface means on the sibling computer to determine whether the packet contains a checksum; and (g) embedding the checksum into the packet using the processor means on the sibling computer if the packet does not contain a checksum. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification