Method and apparatus for using a single multi-function adapter with different operating systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus comprising:
- an input/output adapter to be connected to a network and to a host interface of a host computer, the adapter including capabilities, the host computer to use a plurality of operating systems that have techniques to interface with the capabilities, the adapter including function blocks to provide the capabilities, the adapter also including network ports to be connected to the network and being coupled to the function blocks;
another interface to be connected to the host interface and to present the capabilities in a manner corresponding to an operating system technique to interface one of the operating systems with the capabilities; and
at least two of the function blocks being protocol modules associated with respective protocols, the protocol modules and an offload engine being comprised in the adapter, the adapter also being to selectively permit data received from the ports to be provided to the protocol modules, the adapter to implement virtual devices that use the function blocks, the virtual devices to be presented to the operating systems, the adapter to provide one or more input/output services to the one of the operating systems, the one or more input/output services being provided by one or more of the virtual devices and permitting implementation of at least one of block storage and remote direct memory access (RDMA).
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Abstract
A flexible arrangement allows a single arrangement of Ethernet channel adapter (ECA) hardware functions to appear as needed to conform to various operating system deployment models. A PCI interface presents a logical model of virtual devices appropriate to the relevant operating system. Mapping parameters and values are associated with the packet streams to allow the packet streams to be properly processed according to the presented logical model and needed operations. Mapping occurs at both the host side and at the network side to allow the multiple operations of the ECA to be performed while still allowing proper delivery at each interface.
121 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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an input/output adapter to be connected to a network and to a host interface of a host computer, the adapter including capabilities, the host computer to use a plurality of operating systems that have techniques to interface with the capabilities, the adapter including function blocks to provide the capabilities, the adapter also including network ports to be connected to the network and being coupled to the function blocks; another interface to be connected to the host interface and to present the capabilities in a manner corresponding to an operating system technique to interface one of the operating systems with the capabilities; and at least two of the function blocks being protocol modules associated with respective protocols, the protocol modules and an offload engine being comprised in the adapter, the adapter also being to selectively permit data received from the ports to be provided to the protocol modules, the adapter to implement virtual devices that use the function blocks, the virtual devices to be presented to the operating systems, the adapter to provide one or more input/output services to the one of the operating systems, the one or more input/output services being provided by one or more of the virtual devices and permitting implementation of at least one of block storage and remote direct memory access (RDMA). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method comprising:
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connecting an input/output adapter to a network and to a host interface of a host computer, the adapter including capabilities, the host computer to use a plurality of operating systems that have techniques to interface with the capabilities, the adapter including function blocks to provide the capabilities, the adapter also including network ports to be connected to the network and being coupled to the function blocks; connecting another interface to the host interface, the another interface being to present the capabilities in a manner corresponding to an operating system technique to interface one of the operating systems with the capabilities, at least two of the function blocks being protocol modules associated with respective protocols, the protocol modules and an offload engine being comprised in the adapter; and selectively permitting, by the adapter, data received from the ports to be provided to the protocol modules, the adapter to implement virtual devices that use the function blocks, the virtual devices to be presented to the operating systems, the adapter to provide one or more input/output services to the one of the operating systems, the one or more input/output services being provided by one or more of the virtual devices and permitting implementation of at least one of block storage and remote direct memory access (RDMA). - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification