Colin Chaplin Sharp

US Patent:

8248939, Aug 21, 2012

Filed:

Oct 11, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/249006

Inventors:

Peter K. Craft - San Francisco CA, US
Joseph L. Gervais - Fremont CA, US
Colin C. Sharp - Half Moon Bay CA, US

Assignee:

Alacritech, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

G01R 31/08

US Classification:

370235, 370469

Abstract:

In one embodiment, a system for communicating over a network is disclosed, the system comprising: a processor running a protocol processing stack to control a TCP connection; a first offload engine that receives control of the TCP connection from the stack to perform a first task corresponding to the TCP connection; and a second offload engine that receives control of the TCP connection from the first offload engine to perform a second task corresponding to the TCP connection. For example, the first offload engine can be protocol software such as an intermediate driver that can handle tasks such as teaming and/or reassembly of out-of-order data segments. As another example, the second offload engine can be a network interface card that provides hardware that accelerates data transfer.