Method to synchronize and upload an offloaded network stack connection with a network stack
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a host computer running a stack of protocol processing layers configured to create a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) control block, the TCP control block identified by source and destination Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and source and destination TCP ports;
a driver running on the host computer, the driver configured to receive the TCP control block from the stack of protocol processing layers; and
a network interface device that is operably coupled to the host computer, the network interface device configured to receive the TCP control block from the driver.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A host CPU runs a network protocol processing stack that provides instructions not only to process network messages but also to allocate processing of certain network messages to a specialized network communication device, offloading some of the most time consuming protocol processing from the host CPU to the network communication device. By allocating common and time consuming network processes to the device, while retaining the ability to handle less time intensive and more varied processing on the host stack, the network communication device can be relatively simple and cost effective. The host CPU, operating according to instructions from the stack, and the network communication device together determine whether and to what extent a given message is processed by the host CPU or by the network communication device.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. An apparatus comprising:
-
a host computer running a stack of protocol processing layers configured to create a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) control block, the TCP control block identified by source and destination Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and source and destination TCP ports; a driver running on the host computer, the driver configured to receive the TCP control block from the stack of protocol processing layers; and a network interface device that is operably coupled to the host computer, the network interface device configured to receive the TCP control block from the driver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A method comprising:
-
running, on a host computer, a stack of protocol processing layers, including controlling a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) control block that is identified by source and destination Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and source and destination TCP ports; running, on the host computer, a driver, including receiving, by the driver, the TCP control block from the stack of protocol processing layers; and receiving, by a network interface device that is coupled to the host computer, the TCP control block from the driver. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method comprising:
-
running, on a host computer, a first process, including creating by the first process a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) control block that is identified by source and destination Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and source and destination TCP ports; running, on the host computer, a second process, including receiving, by the second process, the TCP control block from the first process; and receiving, by a network interface device that is coupled to the host computer, the TCP control block from the second process. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification