Enhanced claw packing protocol

• US 6,711,178 B1
• Filed: 09/08/1998
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hiller, Dean, OʼGorman, Robert, Drummond, Mark C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sam, Phirin
• Application Number:
  US09/149,719
• Time in Patent Office: 2,023 Days
• Field of Search: 370/473, 370/393, 370/356, 370/437, 370/438, 370/439, 370/471, 370/351, 370/352, 370/354, 370/389, 370/391, 370/392, 709/227, 709/228, 709/203, 709/238, 709/208, 709/209, 709/230, 709/231, 709/232, 709/236, 709/245, 709/246, 710/131, 710/100
• US Class Current: 370/473
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]

Abstract

An enhanced CLAW protocol supports the transfer of multiple data types from different sockets/sessions within a single channel operation between a host mainframe and a control unit of a computer network. Multiple sublinks are created under a single packed CLAW logical link, wherein each sublink may transport a uniquely identifiable data type as a message from a socket/session. The messages are then concatenated within a single CLAW data block for transfer over a channel coupling the host and control unit. In addition, the invention increases the maximum size of the CLAW block for each channel operation.

Claims

1. A method of transferring multiple data types within a single channel operation over a channel coupling a host mainframe and a control unit of a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

creating multiple sublinks from a predetermined logical link used to establish a logical connection between processes executing on the host mainframe and control unit, the sublinks including a plurality of non-zero sublinks, each non-zero sublink capable of transporting a uniquely identifiable data type as a packed data message; and

concatenating each packed data message within a single packed data block for transfer over the channel to thereby reduce overhead on the channel associated with transferring each packed data message individually.

38. A computer readable media comprising:

the computer readable media having instructions written thereon, the instructions for execution in a processor for practice of the method of claim 1 or claim 21 or claim 33.

39. Electromagnetic signals propagating on a computer network, comprising:

the electromagnetic signals carrying instructions for execution in a processor for practice of the method of claim 1 or claim 21 or claim 33.

2. A method of transferring multiple data types within a single channel operation over a channel coupling a host mainframe and a control unit of a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

creating multiple sublinks from a predetermined logical link used to establish a logical connection between processes executing on the host mainframe and control unit, the sublinks including a plurality of non-zero sublinks, each non-zero sublink capable of transporting a uniquely identifiable data type as a packed data message, the predetermined logical link having a common link access to workstation (CLAW) packing link;

concatenating each packed data message within a single packed data block for transfer over the channel to thereby reduce overhead on the channel associated with transferring each packed data message individually;

forming the CLAW packing link in accordance with a connection request/response exchange sequence between the host mainframe and control unit, the formed CLAW packing link including a valid control sublink; and

exchanging packed control messages over the control sublink between packed CLAW control processes executing on the host mainframe and control unit in accordance with a packed connection establishment sequence to establish the non-zero sublinks.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of exchanging further comprises the steps of:

issuing a packed connection request control message from one packed CLAW control process to the other packed CLAW control process;

returning a packed connection response control message from the other packed CLAW control process to the one packed CLAW control process; and

sending a packed confirm control message from the other packed CLAW control process to the one packed CLAW control process.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of issuing the packed connection request control message further comprises the step of assigning a logical sublink number to each established non-zero sublink.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of assigning further comprises the step of defining a type of data transferred over each non-zero sublink.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the single packed data block is a packed CLAW data block and wherein step of concatenating comprises the step of transporting a series of packed data messages within the packed CLAW data block.

7. Apparatus for transferring multiple data types within a single channel operation over a channel coupling a host mainframe and a control unit of a computer network, the apparatus comprising:

a channel connecting the host mainframe to the control unit, the channel including a predetermined logical link used to establish a logical connection between the host mainframe and control unit, the predetermined logical link having a control sublink;

packed control processes executing on the host mainframe and control unit, the packed control processes exchanging packed control messages over the control sublink to create a plurality of application sublinks, each application sublink capable of transporting a uniquely identifiable data type as a packed data message between applications executng on the host mainframe and the control unit; and

a packed data block structure containing a concatenation of each packed data message, the packed data block structure adapted for transfer over the channel to thereby reduce overhead on the channel associated with transferring each packed data message individually.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each packed control message comprises a command field whose contents specify a type of control command, such as one of a packed connection request and packed connection response.

20. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the packed data block structure is a packed common link access to workstation (CLAW) data block.

8. Apparatus for transferring multiple data types within a single channel operation over a channel coupling a host mainframe and a control unit of a computer network, the apparatus comprising:

a channel connecting the host mainframe to the control unit, the channel including a predetermined logical link used to establish a logical connection between the host mainframe and control unit, the predetermined logical link having a control sublink;

packed control processes executing on the host mainframe and control unit, the packed control processes exchanging packed control messages over the control sublink to create a plurality of application sublinks, each application sublink capable of transporting a uniquely identifiable data type as a packed data message between applications executing on the host mainframe and the control unit, each packed control message having a sublink field, the sublink field having contents that identify a particular application sublink specified by names of particular applications executing on the host mainframe and control unit; and

a packed data block structure containing a concatenation of each packed data message, the packed data block structure adapted for transfer over the channel to thereby reduce overhead on the channel associated with transferring each packed data message individually.

10. Apparatus for transferring multiple data types within a single channel operation over a channel coupling a host mainframe and a control unit of a computer network, the apparatus comprising:

a channel connecting the host mainframe to the control unit, the channel including a predetermined logical link used to establish a logical connection between the host mainframe and control unit, the predetermined logical link having a control sublink;

packed control processes executing on the host mainframe and control unit, the packed control processes exchanging packed control messages over the control sublink to create a plurality of application sublinks, each application sublink capable of transporting a uniquely identifiable data type as a packed data message between applications executing on the host mainframe and the control unit, wherein each packed control message comprises a command field whose contents specify a type of control command, such as one of a packed connection request and packed connection response, and a correlator field that contains information used to correlate multiple responses to respective multiple requests sent between the host mainframe and the control unit; and

a packed data block structure containing a concatenation of each packed data message, the packed data block structure adapted for transfer over the channel to thereby reduce overhead on the channel associated with transferring each packed data message individually.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each packed control message further comprises a return code field containing a return code for packed linking operations in accordance with establishment of logical connections between the host mainframe and control unit.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein each packed control message further comprises a read size field and a write size field, each containing a negotiated block size of the packed data block structure for transfer between the host mainframe and control unit.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the return code comprises a bad size code for the packed connection request when there is no agreement in the read and write block sizes of the packed data block structure between the host mainframe and control unit.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein each packed control message further comprises (i) a control unit packed application name field containing a name of an application executing on the control unit and (ii) a host packed application name field containing a name of an application executing on the host mainframe.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the return code comprises an application name mismatch code that indicates a mismatch in the application names specified in the packed control message.

16. Apparatus for transferring multiple data types within a single channel operation over a channel coupling a host mainframe and a control unit of a computer network, the apparatus comprising:

a channel connecting the host mainframe to the control unit, the channel including a predetermined logical link used to establish a logical connection between the host mainframe and control unit, the predetermined logical link having a control sublink;

packed control processes executing on the host mainframe and control unit, the packed control processes exchanging packed control messages over the control sublink to create a plurality of application sublinks, each application sublink capable of transporting a uniquely identifiable data type as a packed data message between applications executng on the host mainframe and the control unit, wherein each packed data message comprises a packed header, a data field and a padding field, the padding field comprising information for terminating the packed data message in a predetermined natural alignment; and

a packed data block structure containing a concatenation of each packed data message, the packed data block structure adapted for transfer over the channel to thereby reduce overhead on the channel associated with transferring each packed data message individually.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the packed header comprises a length field having contents that specifies a length of the data field.

18. Apparatus for transferring multiple data types within a single channel operation over a channel coupling a host mainframe and a control unit of a computer network, the apparatus comprising:

a channel connecting the host mainframe to the control unit, the channel including a predetermined logical link used to establish a logical connection between the host mainframe and control unit, the predetermined logical link having a control sublink;

packed control processes executing on the host mainframe and control unit, the packed control processes exchanging packed control messages over the control sublink to create a plurality of application sublinks, each application sublink capable of transporting a uniquely identifiable data type as a packed data message between applications executing on the host mainframe and the control unit; and

a packed data block structure containing a concatenation of each packed data message, the packed data block structure adapted for transfer over the channel to thereby reduce overhead on the channel associated with transferring each packed data message individually, each packed data message having a packed header, a data field and a padding field, the padding field having information for terminating the packed data message in a predetermined natural alignment, and the packed header having a sublink number field containing a sublink value specifying a type of data contained in the packed data message.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the type of data contained in the packed data message comprises one of datagram data, socket offload data and checksum offload data.

21. A method of operating a node, comprising:

establishing a communication channel between a host computer and the node;

establishing a logical link on the communication channel between the host computer and the node;

creating multiple sublinks in the logical link, each sublink establishing a connection between processes executing on the host computer and the node, each sublink capable of transporting a packed data message;

writing a packed header into each of the packed data messages, the packed header having a sublink field, the sublink field indicating a sublink for the packed data message, the sublink associated with a unique data type; and

concatenating a plurality of packed data messages within a single packed data block for transfer over the channel, the transfer of the data block reducing overhead as compared with transferring each packed data message separately.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

including a router connected to a computer network in the node;

controlling operation of the router in response to the packed data messages, as the router routes message traffic through the computer network.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

identifying by the sublink field particular applications executing on the host computer and on the node.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

the packed message identifying a process by name executing on the host computer, and the packed message identifying a process by name executing on the node, the packed message thereby providing communication between the identified process on the node and the identified process on the host computer.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

identifying the logical link with a common link access to workstation (CLAW) packing link.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

forming the CLAW packing link in accordance with a connection request/response exchange sequence between the host computer and the node, the formed CLAW packing link including a valid control sublink; and

exchanging packed control messages over the control sublink between packed CLAW control processes executing on the host computer and the node in accordance with a packed connection establishment sequence.

27. A node, comprising:

an interface to a communication channel between a host computer and the node;

a logical link process to establish a logical link on the communication channel between the host computer and the node;

a sublink process to create multiple sublinks in the logical link, each sublink establishing a connection between processes executing on the host computer and the node, each sublink capable of transporting a packed data message;

a packed control process to write a packed header into each of the packed data messages, the packed header having a sublink field, the sublink field indicating a sublink for the packed data message, the sublink associated with a unique data type; and

a concatenating process to concatenate a plurality of packed data messages within a single packed data block for transfer over the channel, the transfer of the data block reducing overhead as compared with transferring each packed data message separately.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising:

a router connected to a computer network located in the node;

a process to control operation of the router in response to the packed data messages, as the router routes message traffic through the computer network.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising:

logic to identify by the sublink field particular applications executing on the host computer and on the node.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising:

a first field in the packed message to identify a process by name executing on the host computer, and a second field in the packed message for the packed message to identify a process by name executing on the node, the packed message thereby providing communication between the identified process on the node and the identified process on the host computer.

31. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising:

a process to identify the logical link with a common link access to workstation (CLAW) packing link.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

logic to form the CLAW packing link in accordance with a connection request/response exchange sequence between the host computer and the node, the formed CLAW packing link including a valid control sublink; and

exchanging packed control messages over the control sublink between packed CLAW control processes executing on the host computer and the node in accordance with a packed connection establishment sequence.

33. A method for operating a system, comprising:

establishing a node in a computer network;

establishing a host computer;

establishing a communication channel between the host computer and the node;

establishing a logical link on the communication channel between the host computer and the node;

creating multiple sublinks in the logical link, each sublink establishing a connection between processes executing on the host computer and the node, each sublink capable of transporting a packed data message;

writing a packed header into each of the packed data messages, the packed header having a sublink field, the sublink field indicating a sublink for the packed data message, the sublink associated with a unique data type; and

concatenating a plurality of packed data messages within a single packed data block for transfer over the channel, the transfer of the data block reducing overhead as compared with transferring each packed data message separately.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

including a router connected to the computer network in the node;

controlling operation of the router in response to the packed data messages, as the router routes message traffic through the computer network.

35. A system, comprising:

a node;

a host computer;

a communication channel between the host computer and the node;

a logical link process to establish a logical link on the communication channel between the host computer and the node;

a sublink process to create multiple sublinks in the logical link, each sublink establishing a connection between processes executing on the host computer and the node, each sublink capable of transporting a packed data message;

a packed control process to write a packed header into each of the packed data messages, the packed header having a sublink field, the sublink field indicating a sublink for the packed data message, the sublink associated with a unique data type; and

a concatenating process to concatenate a plurality of packed data messages within a single packed data block for transfer over the channel, the transfer of the data block reducing overhead as compared with transferring each packed data message separately.

36. The system of claim 35, further comprising:

a router located in the node, the router connected to a computer network;

a process to control operation of the router in response to the packed data messages, as the router routes message traffic through the computer network.

37. A node, comprising:

an interface to a communication channel between a host computer and the node;

a logical link process to establish a logical link on the communication channel between the host computer and the node;

means for creating multiple sublinks in the logical link, each sublink establishing a connection between processes executing on the host computer and the node, each sublink capable of transporting a packed data message;

means for writing a packed header into each of the packed data messages, the packed header having a sublink field, the sublink field indicating a sublink for the packed data message, the sublink associated with a unique data type; and

a concatenating process to concatenate a plurality of packed data messages within a single packed data block for transfer over the channel, the transfer of the data block reducing overhead as compared with transferring each packed data message separately.