User-level dedicated interface for IP applications in a data packet switching and load balancing system
US6510164B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 16, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jan 21, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 16, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L49/351
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A multiprocessor computer system comprises a plurality of network interfaces each adapted to be coupled to respective external networks for receiving and sending data packets to and from remote devices coupled to the external networks via a particular communication protocol. The multiprocessor computer system further comprises a plurality of symmetrical processors including a control processor and at least one switching processor. The switching processor further includes at least one network application executing thereon. The control processor further includes an operating system portion having a kernel memory and at least one network driver communicating with the plurality of network interfaces. A buffer descriptor list is accessible by the network application and the network driver. The buffer descriptor list defines the status of buffers provided in the kernel memory that are used for temporary storage of data packets transferred between the network application and the plurality of network interfaces via the network driver. Data packets received by the network interfaces from the external networks directed to the network application are placed in selected ones of the buffers by …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.