System and method for eliminating Streams framework overhead in data communications

• US 7,400,650 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: DiMambro, Francesco
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber; Charles D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DECKER, CASSANDRA L
• Application Number:
  US11/047,307
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 370/465, 370/474, 370/469
• US Class Current: 370/469
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/02 Protocol performance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/10 Streamlined, light-weight or high-speed protocols, e.g. express transfer protocol [XTP] or byte stream
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for improving the efficiency with which data communications are passed through a protocol stack. Protocol layer modules within a protocol stack built upon the Streams framework are modified to establish tight embraces between adjacent modules. A tight embrace may be established by passing from one, upper, protocol layer module to its adjacent lower protocol layer module a pointer or reference to the upper module'"'"'s functionality (e.g., rput) for reading a data communication into the upper module from the lower module. Similarly, the lower module passes the upper module a pointer or reference to its functionality (e.g., wput) for writing a data communication into the lower module from the upper module. After a tight embrace is established, the protocol layer modules can directly invoke each other'"'"'s functionality, without incurring the overhead associated with the Streams framework'"'"'s “canputnext” and “putnext” messages.

Claims

1. An automated method of establishing a communication path through a protocol stack implemented within a Streams framework, the method comprising:

(a) establishing a first tight embrace between a first protocol layer and a second protocol layer by;

(a1) at the first protocol layer, issuing a first request to the second protocol layer, said first request identifying an entry point for a read function of the first protocol layer;

(a2) at the second protocol layer;

receiving said first request; and

issuing a first response to the first request, said first response identifying an entry point for a write function of the second protocol layer; and

(a3) at the first protocol layer, receiving said first response; and

(b) establishing one or more additional tight embraces between other protocol layers.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after said establishing a first tight embrace:

passing a first communication from the first protocol layer to the second protocol layer by invoking, at the first protocol layer, the write function of the second protocol layer.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, after said establishing a first tight embrace:

passing a second communication from the second protocol layer to the first protocol layer by invoking, at the second protocol layer, the read function of the first protocol layer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second communication is passed without invoking a putnext function of the Streams framework.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first communication is passed without invoking a putnext function of the Streams framework.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first tight embrace allows a communication to be exchanged between the first protocol layer and the second protocol layer without invoking a putnext function of the Streams framework.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

establishing the first tight embrace further comprises configuring said first response with an identifier of the second protocol layer; and

receiving said first response comprises identifying an originator of said first response to ensure said first response was issued by the second protocol layer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving said first response further comprises:

issuing a first completion message to the second protocol layer to inform the second protocol layer that said first tight embrace is established.

9. A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of establishing a communication path through a protocol stack implemented within a Streams framework, the method comprising:

(a) establishing a first tight embrace between a first protocol layer and a second protocol layer by;

(a1) at the first protocol layer, issuing a first request to the second protocol layer, said first request identifying an entry point for a read function of the first protocol layer;

(a2) at the second protocol layer;

receiving said first request; and

issuing a first response to the first request, said first response identifying an entry point for a write function of the second protocol layer; and

(a3) at the first protocol layer, receiving said first response; and

(b) establishing one or more additional tight embraces between other protocol layers.

10. A computer-implemented method of establishing a tight embrace between a first protocol layer and a second protocol layer within a protocol stack implemented within a Streams framework, the method comprising:

(a) at the first protocol layer, issuing a first request to the second protocol layer, said first request identifying an entry point for a receive message function of the first protocol layer;

(b) at the second protocol layer;

receiving said first request; and

issuing a first response to the first request, said first response identifying an entry point for a write message function of the second protocol layer;

(c) at the first protocol layer;

receiving said first response; and

determining whether said first response was issued by the second protocol layer; and

(d) exchanging a communication between the first protocol layer and the second protocol layer without invoking a putnext function of the Streams framework.

11. A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of establishing a tight embrace between a first protocol layer and a second protocol layer within a protocol stack implemented within a Streams framework, the method comprising:

(a) at the first protocol layer, issuing a first request to a second protocol layer, said first request identifying an entry point for a receive message function of the first protocol layer;

(b) at the second protocol layer;

receiving said first request; and

issuing a first response to the first request, said first response identifying an entry point for a write message function of the second protocol layer;

(c) at the first protocol layer;

receiving said first response; and

determining whether said first response was issued by the second protocol layer; and

(d) exchanging a communication between the first protocol layer and the second protocol layer without invoking a putnext function of the Streams framework.

12. An apparatus for conveying data communications, the apparatus comprising:

a first protocol module configured to;

implement a first data communication protocol; and

issue a first tight embrace request to a second protocol module, said first tight embrace request comprising a reference to a read communication function of the first protocol module;

the second protocol module, configured to;

implement a second data communication protocol;

respond to said first tight embrace request with a first response comprising a reference to a write communication function of the second protocol module; and

issue a second tight embrace request to a third protocol module, said second tight embrace request comprising a reference to a read communication function of the second protocol module; and

a Streams framework configured to provide a putnext function for passing a communication between protocol modules.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first protocol module is further configured to:

issue a first tight embrace completion message to the second protocol module.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first protocol module is further configured to:

verify an originator of said first response.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein after issuing said first tight embrace completion message, the first protocol module is configured to convey a data communication to the second protocol module by invoking the write communication function of the second protocol module.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein after receiving said first tight embrace completion message, the second protocol module is configured to convey a data communication to the first protocol module by invoking the read communication function of the first protocol module.