Optimizing virtual interface architecture (VIA) on multiprocessor servers and physically independent consolidated NICs

• US 7,457,861 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Ebersole, Dwayne E., Narisi, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US10/728,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20080275989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,817 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/222, 709/223, 709/228, 370/258, 710/311, 710/317
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• 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 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• 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

Abstract

Optimization of the Virtual Interface Architecture (VIA) on Multiprocessor Servers using Physically Independent Consolidated NICs (Network Interface Cards) allows for improved throughput, increased resiliency and transparent fail-over; and also by hiding the actual NICs involved in particular data transactions, enables operations with substantially unmodified applications software.

Claims

1. A data management component for tracking a plurality of Network Interface Card (NIC) connections resident on a computing system, wherein said computing system employs Virtual Interface Architecture (VIA) for data communications from a VIA enabled software application on said computing system with data destinations other than said VIA enabled software application wherein a path for said data communications is through at least one Network Interface Card (NIC) with at least one port connection per each NIC, said data management component comprising:

a Physical NIC data structure for keeping data needed and used to manage each instance of a NIC,

a Logical NIC data area useable by a Kernel Agent on said computer system to manage a plurality of logical NIC objects made visible to the Virtual Interface Provider Library and to the Application program, including a link to all Physical NICs for devices within said Logical NIC, said Logical NIC having a Master Completion Queue through which all completions for all Physical NICS associated with said Logical NIC,

a protection tag table data structure for storing locally unique protection tag for each application, providing that each protection tag is a unique value within a NIC so that only one application'"'"'s privileges are related to any one of said protection tags.

2. The data management system of claim 1 wherein the protection tag table, and a memory registration table are data structure components of said Logical NIC data area.

3. The data management system of claim 2 wherein a completion queue notification request area (CQNRA) is set up for each Logical NIC, so that the CQNRA can be responsive to completions of any master completion queue associated with any Physical NIC.

4. The data management system of claim 3 wherein a failure of any NIC device within a logical NIC of said computer system is not visible to an application program on said computer system with said data management system is using said Logical NIC so long as an additional NIC device is operational.