System and method for managing multiple stack environments

• US 8,046,482 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2010
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fan, Kan Frankie
• Primary Examiner(s): Joo; Joshua
• Application Number:
  US12/684,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20100115118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/203, 709227-230
• US Class Current: 709/230
• 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 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/165 Combined use of TCP and UDP protocols; selection criteria therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Systems and methods that manage multiple stack environments are provided. In one example, a system may include, for example, a first protocol processing stack, a second protocol processing stack and a mapper. The mapper may be coupled to the first protocol processing stack and to the second protocol processing stack. A first port number may be associated with the first protocol processing stack and a second port number may be associated with the second protocol processing stack. The mapper may store a correspondence between the first port number and the second port number.

Claims

1. A computer, comprising:

a first protocol processing stack associated with a first port number;

a second protocol processing stack that comprises a hardware stack; and

a mapper operatively coupled to the first protocol processing stack and to the second protocol processing stack,

wherein the mapper communicates with the first protocol processing stack to determine an available port number,

wherein the mapper stores a correspondence between the first port number and the available port number,

wherein the available port number is associated with the second protocol processing stack,

wherein the mapper queries a remote port mapper for a remote port number if the remote port number is not stored in a local remote port mapping cache, and

wherein the mapper invalidates entries in the local remote port mapping cache when a reference count reaches a particular number.

2. The computer according to claim 1, wherein an application requests to listen on the first port number, wherein the first protocol processing stack listens for the application on the first port number, and wherein the second protocol processing stack listens for the application on the available port number.

3. The computer according to claim 1, wherein the first protocol processing stack is unaware of the second protocol processing stack.

4. The computer according to claim 2, wherein the application is unaware of a multi-stack environment.

5. The computer according to claim 1, wherein the available port number is generated by the first protocol processing stack.

6. The computer according to claim 1, wherein the computer is part of a passive open socket side.

7. The computer according to claim 1, wherein the computer is part of an active open socket side.

8. The computer according to claim 1, wherein the first protocol processing stack comprises a host stack.

9. The computer according to claim 1, wherein the first protocol processing stack comprises a Microsoft protocol processing stack.

10. The computer according to claim 1, wherein the hardware stack comprises an offload hardware stack.

11. The computer according to claim 1, wherein the second protocol processing stack comprises a system area network (SAN) provider stack.

12. The computer according to claim 1, wherein the second protocol processing stack comprises a remote direct memory access (RDMA) stack.

13. The computer according to claim 1, comprising:

a network adapter coupled to the first protocol processing stack and to the second protocol processing stack.

14. The computer according to claim 13, wherein the network adapter is configured to store the available port number or information relating to the available port number being associated with the second protocol processing stack.

15. The computer according to claim 13, wherein the network adapter comprises a data structure, the data structure being configured to store the available port number or the association between the available port number and the second protocol processing stack.

16. The computer according to claim 15, wherein the data structure comprises a look-up table.

17. The computer according to claim 1, wherein the mapper is operatively coupled to the first protocol processing stack and to the second protocol processing stack via a switch.

18. The computer according to claim 1, wherein the mapper comprises a local port mapping database and the local remote port mapping cache.

19. The computer according to claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to be a client or a server.

20. The computer according to claim 1, wherein the first protocol processing stack and the second protocol processing stack are operatively coupled to a network through a network adapter.

21. The computer according to claim 1, comprising a network interface card (NIC) driver and a network adapter, wherein the NIC driver is operatively coupled to the first protocol processing stack and to the second protocol processing stack, and wherein the NIC driver is operatively coupled to a network adapter that is operatively coupled to a network.

22. The computer according to claim 21, wherein the network adapter comprises a look-up table that stores a destination IP address and a destination port number.

23. The computer according to claim 22, wherein, if a destination IP address and a destination port number of a packet received from the network matches the destination IP address and the destination port number stored in the look-up table of the network adapter, then the packet is processed by the second protocol processing stack, and wherein, if the destination IP address, but not the destination port number, of the packet received from the network matches the destination IP address and the destination port number stored in the look-up table of the network adapter, then the packet is processed by the first protocol processing stack.