Method to offload a network stack

• US 7,007,103 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gbadegesin, Abolade, Kaniyar, Sanjay, Pinkerton, James, Srinivas, Nk
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal
• Assistant Examiner(s): BHATIA, AJAY M
• Application Number:
  US10/135,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20030204634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 709/238, 709/229, 709/201, 709/247, 709/249, 709/202, 709/227, 709/228, 709/243, 709/250, 370229-240
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/162 involving adaptations of sockets based mechanisms secure socket layer H04L63/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/165 Combined use of TCP and UDP protocols; selection criteria therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method to offload a network stack connection is presented. A request, which includes a list of resource requirements from each software layer in the stack, to offload the network stack connection is sent through the stack to the peripheral device. The device allocates resources for the list and sends a handle to each of the software layers for communication with the device. The state for each layer is sent to the device that includes state variables that are classified as a constant, a cached variable handled by the CPU, or a delegated variable handled by the device.

Claims

1. A method to offload a network stack state object and at least one associated protocol stack in a computer system environment from a first path going through a plurality of software layers to a peripheral device to a second path going from a switch layer to the peripheral device, the network stack state object having a cached state variable and at least one of a constant state variable and a delegated state variable, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a request to offload the network stack state object from the switch layer to the peripheral device through the plurality of software layers, the request having a list of resource requirements;

if the network stack state object will be offloaded;

receiving an offload handle at at least one of the plurality of software layers;

sending the network stack state object to the peripheral device from the at least one of the plurality of software layers; and

transferring buffers to the peripheral device from the switch layer;

comprising the step of assigning a portion of a total IP ID space to the peripheral device;

wherein the step of assigning the portion of the total IP ID space comprises the step of assigning approximately one half of the total IP ID space to the peripheral device; and

further comprising the step of generating an IP ID for a packet

Cur_IPID=[(Start_IPID_For_This_Path)+(Counter_For_This_Path)mod32K]mod64K Counter_For_This_Path=Counter_For_This_Path+1.