Offload system, method, and computer program product for processing network communications associated with a plurality of ports

• US 8,059,680 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, Michael Ward, Minami, John Shigeto
• Primary Examiner(s): Harper; Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAN, SAI MING
• Application Number:
  US11/546,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20070064724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,862 Days
• Field of Search: 370/469, 370/474, 709/250
• US Class Current: 370/469
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/12 Protocol engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An offload system, method, and computer program product are provided for handling transport layer processing of a connection between a local host and a remote host via at least one network. A network interface associated with the local host is utilized for such purpose. A plurality of ports allow communication between the local host and the at least one network. The communications corresponding with the connection are monitored and the connection is associated with at least one port. At least one of the ports receiving the communications corresponding with the connection are identified.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

handling transport layer processing of a connection between a local host and a remote host via at least one network, utilizing a network interface associated with the local host, where a plurality of ports allow communication between the local host and the at least one network;

monitoring communications corresponding with the connection;

identifying at least one of the ports receiving the communications corresponding with the connection based on the monitoring; and

associating the connection with at least one port based on the identifying;

wherein the network interface operates in either a normal mode or a CPU bypass mode, where when configured for the CPU bypass mode, at least one programmable protocol engine associated with the network interface is disabled, and an external controller communicates directly to a network stack via a register set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection is further associated with an address of the local host.

3. The method of claim 1, and further comprising receiving additional communications;

and recognizing that the additional communications are associated with the at least one port.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a failover operation is performed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a load-balancing operation is performed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network interface offloads network protocol processing from a processor of the local host.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring of the communications includes monitoring all outgoing packets corresponding with the connection and providing next-hop IP addresses and source IP addresses for the packets.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the normal mode allows for the external controller to access the network stack in cooperation with the at least one programmable protocol engine.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the CPU bypass mode includes a test-index mode which allows the external controller to control the network stack while keeping the at least one programmable protocol engine enabled.

7. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code that handles transport layer processing of a connection between a local host and a remote host via at least one network, utilizing a network interface associated with the local host, where a plurality of ports allow communication between the local host and the at least one network;

computer code that monitors communications corresponding with the connection;

computer code that identifies at least one of the ports receiving the communications corresponding with the connection based on the monitoring; and

computer code that associates the connection with at least one port based on the identifying;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that the network interface operates in either a normal mode or a CPU bypass mode, where when configured for the CPU bypass mode, at least one programmable protocol engine associated with the network interface is disabled, and an external controller communicates directly to a network stack via a register set.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the connection is further associated with an address of the local host.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, and further comprising computer code that receives additional communications;

and computer code that recognizes that the additional communications are associated with the at least one port.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein a failover operation is performed.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein a load-balancing operation is performed.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the network interface offloads network protocol processing from a processor of the local host.

13. A system, comprising:

a processor operable to handle transport layer processing of a connection betw a local host and a remote host via at least one network, utilizing a network interface associated with the local host, where a plurality of ports allow communication between the local host and the at least one network;

wherein the system is operable such that communications corresponding with the connection are monitored, at least one of the ports receiving the communications corresponding with the connection is identified based on the monitoring, and the connection is associated with at least one port based on the identifying;

wherein the system is operable such that the network interface operates in either a normal mode or a CPU bypass mode, where when configured for the CPU bypass mode, at least one programmable protocol engine associated with the network interface is disabled, and an external controller communicates directly to a network stack via a register set.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the connection is further associated with an address of the local host.

15. The system of claim 13, and further comprising logic for receiving additional communications;

and logic for recognizing that the additional communications are associated with the at least one port.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein a failover operation is performed.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein a load-balancing operation is performed.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the network interface offloads network protocol processing from the processor of the local host.