Selectively enabling packet concatenation based on a transaction boundary

• US 8,611,222 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2012
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: F5 Networks, Inc. (F5 Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: F5 Networks, Inc. (F5 Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mukerji, Arindum, Rothstein, Jesse Abraham
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Jr., Otis L
• Assistant Examiner(s): PERSAUD, AMARNAUTH G
• Application Number:
  US13/592,187
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/321 Interlayer communication protocols or service data unit [SDU] definitions; Interfaces between layers

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method are directed towards selectively combining data into a packet to modify a number of packets transmitted over a network based on a detection of a transaction boundary. If it is determined to concatenate the data, such concatenation may continue until an acknowledgement (ACK) is received, or a predetermined amount of data is concatenated in the packet, or a transaction boundary is detected. If at least one of these conditions is satisfied, concatenation may be inhibited, and the packet may be sent. Concatenation is then re-enabled. In one embodiment, Nagle'"'"'s algorithm is used for concatenating data into a packet. In one embodiment, an ACK may be sent based on a write completion indicator included within a packet. Receipt of the ACK may disable concatenation.

Claims

1. A network device, comprising:

a memory device having stored thereon computer-instructions; and

one or more processors that executes the stored computer-instructions to perform actions, including;

receiving a first packet of data for transmission over a network;

monitoring for a concatenation termination (CT) event;

until a CT event is detected, selectively concatenating data of the first packet with data of a subsequently received second packet, wherein the first packet and the second packet include data for an application layer transaction, and transmitting concatenated packets over the network;

when the CT event is detected;

disabling concatenation of packet data, and

selectively sending a short packet of data over the network, the short packet including less than a predetermined amount of data to be concatenated and being less than a full packet buffer; and

when a concatenation re-enabling (CR) event is detected, re-enabling concatenation of data from subsequent packets for sending over the network.

2. The network device of claim 1, wherein the CT event comprises one of receiving an acknowledgement (ACK) or detecting an application layer transaction boundary.

3. The network device of claim 1, wherein the CR event comprises receiving a delayed acknowledgement (ACK).

4. The network device of claim 1, wherein the CR event comprises at least one of detecting an occurrence of a timeout event, receiving an acknowledgement (ACK) for a previous packet sent, or receipt of an indication to re-enable concatenation from another network device.

5. The network device of claim 1, wherein the CT event further comprises detecting an application transaction boundary.

6. The network device of claim 1, wherein disabling concatenation further results in sending packet data as soon as the data is available to the network device.

7. The network device of claim 1, wherein monitoring for a concatenation termination (CT) event further comprises monitoring for an end of file indicator within a packet.

8. An apparatus comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium, having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, that in response to execution by a client device, cause the client device to perform operations, comprising:

monitoring for a concatenation termination (CT) event;

receiving a first packet of data for transmission over a network;

until a CT event is detected, selectively concatenating data of the first packet with data of a subsequently received second packet, wherein the first packet and the second packet include data for an application layer transaction, and sending packets of concatenated data over the network;

when the CT event is detected;

disabling concatenation of packet data, and

selectively sending a short packet of data over the network, the short packet including less than a predetermined amount of data to be concatenated and being less than a full packet buffer; and

when a concatenation re-enabling (CR) event is detected, re-enabling concatenation of data from subsequent packets for sending over the network.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein sending the short packet further comprises sending data over the network absent concatenation of data with a subsequent packet.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the CT event comprises one of receiving an acknowledgement (ACK) or detecting an application layer transaction boundary.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the CR event comprises receiving a delayed acknowledgement (ACK).

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the CR event comprises at least one of detecting an occurrence of a timeout event, receiving an acknowledgement (ACK) for a previous packet sent, or receipt of an indication to re-enable concatenation from another network device.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the CT event further comprises detecting an application transaction boundary.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein disabling concatenation further results in sending packet data as soon as the data is available to the network device.

15. A system, comprising:

a sender network device having a processor that performs actions, including;

monitoring for a concatenation termination (CT) event;

receiving a first packet of data for transmission;

until a CT event is detected, selectively concatenating data of the first packet with data of a subsequently received second packet, wherein the first packet and the second packet include data for an application layer transaction, and transmitting packets of concatenated data;

when the CT event is detected;

disabling concatenation of packet data, and

selectively transmitting a short packet of data, the short packet including less than a predetermined amount of data to be concatenated and being less than a full packet buffer; and

when a concatenation re-enabling (CR) event is detected, re-enabling concatenation of data from subsequent packets for transmission; and

a receiver network device having a processor that performs actions, including;

receiving packets having concatenated data;

receiving the short packet; and

selectively providing a CT or CR event to the sender network device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the CT event comprises one of receiving an acknowledgement (ACK) or detecting an application layer transaction boundary.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the CR event comprises receiving a delayed acknowledgement (ACK).

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the CR event comprises at least one of detecting an occurrence of a timeout event, receiving an acknowledgement (ACK) for a previous packet sent, or receipt of an indication to re-enable concatenation from another network device.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein monitoring for a concatenation termination (CT) event further comprises monitoring for an end of file indicator within a packet.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein monitoring for a CT event further comprises employing application layer syntax of a transaction.