Message segmentation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12047478-B2
Application number	US-202117159189-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2021
Priority date	Jun 18, 2018
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

A system including a network interface layer, and a physical network connection configured to connect with a networking medium. The network interface layer is configured to: A) receive a plurality of user datagram protocol (UDP) message segments from the physical network connection; B) coalesce the plurality of UDP message segments into a coalesced UDP message; and C) send the coalesced UDP message to an application layer external to the system. Related apparatus and methods are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a network interface layer; and
a physical network connection configured to connect with a networking medium, wherein:
the network interface layer is configured to:
A) receive a plurality of user datagram protocol (UDP) message segments from the physical network connection;
B) coalesce the plurality of UDP message segments into a coalesced UDP message; and
C) send the coalesced UDP message to an application layer,

wherein the system also reports UDP message segment boundary information to the application layer,
wherein the plurality of UDP message segments comprises: a number n of UDP message segments each of a uniform size; and one message segment of size less than the uniform size, and
the system reports UDP message segment boundary information by reporting: n; the uniform size; and the size which is less than the uniform size.

2. The system according to claim 1 and wherein the plurality of UDP message segments all pertain to a given flow.

3. The system according to claim 1 and wherein the system reports UDP message segment boundary information by reporting a table of UDP message segment sizes.

4. The system according to claim 1 and the networking medium comprises an Ethernet wherein networking medium.

5. The system according to claim 1 and wherein the network interface layer is comprised in a network interface controller (NIC).

6. The system according to claim 5 and wherein the physical network connection is also comprised in the NIC.

7. A method comprising:
performing the following at a network interface layer:
receiving a plurality of user datagram protocol (UDP) message segments from a physical network connection;
coalescing the plurality of UDP message segments into a coalesced UDP message; and
sending the coalesced UDP message to an application layer; and

reporting UDP message segment boundary information to the application layer,
wherein the plurality of UDP message segments comprises: a number n of UDP message segments each of a uniform size; and one message segment of size less than the uniform size, and
said reporting UDP message segment boundary information comprises reporting: n; the uniform size; and the size which is less than the uniform size.

8. The method of claim 7 and wherein the physical network connection is in communication with a networking medium from which the plurality of UDP message segments are received at the physical network connection.

9. The method according to claim 7 and wherein the plurality of UDP message segments all pertain to a given flow.

10. The method according to claim 7 and wherein said reporting UDP message segment boundary information comprises reporting a table of UDP message segment sizes.

11. The method according to claim 8 and wherein the networking medium comprises an Ethernet networking medium.

12. The method according to claim 7 and wherein the network interface layer is comprised in a network interface controller (NIC).

13. The method according to claim 12 and wherein the physical network connection is also comprised in the NIC.

Assignees

• Mellanox Technologies Ltd

Inventors

• Pismenny Boris
• Liss Liran
• Kuperman Yossi
• Moyal Roee

Classifications

• H04L2101/663

  Transport layer addresses, e.g. aspects of transmission control protocol [TCP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] ports · CPC title

• H04L61/5007

  Internet protocol [IP] addresses · CPC title

• H04L69/16

  Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] · CPC title

• H04L69/325

  in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 (H04L69/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04L69/164

  Adaptation or special uses of UDP protocol · CPC title