Input/output processing

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an electronic device that includes a lower device configured to process local input/output communications between the electronic device and a host, wherein the lower device is stateless. The electronic device also includes a memory comprising a data flow identifier used to associate a data flow resource of the host with a data flow resource corresponding to the lower device. A data packet sent from the lower device to the host includes the data flow identifier.

1 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a lower device configured to process local input/output communications between the electronic device and a host, wherein the lower device is stateless;   a memory comprising a data flow identifier used to associate a data flow resource of the host with a data flow resource corresponding to the lower device;   wherein a data packet sent from the lower device to the host includes the data flow identifier.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the data flow identifier includes a plurality of fields that uniquely identify the data flow resource of the host. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the memory comprising the data flow identifier is populated based on control commands sent to the lower device from the host. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the lower device is operatively coupled to the host through two or more communications ports, and the lower device is configured to stripe data sent to the host across the two or more communication ports. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the data flow identifier sent from the lower device to the upper device includes a hint that payload data included in the data packet has near-term use and, in response to the hint, the host places the payload data in a processor cache. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the lower device is a Network Interface Card (NIC) configured to identify network protocol information using the data flow identifier and generate an outbound data frame based on the network protocol information. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the lower device is a storage device configured to identify control block information residing on the lower device using the data flow identifier and generate storage protocol information based on the control block information. 
     
     
         8 . A method of processing local input/output, comprising:
 generating a data packet comprising payload data and a data flow identifier; and   pushing the data packet to a host, wherein a data flow resource of the host is identified by the host using the data flow identifier.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising receiving a data packet from an external source and identifying the data flow identifier based on header information of the data packet. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising receiving one or more control commands from the host and generating a control block based on the control commands, the control block including the data flow identifier. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the control block includes information corresponding to a storage read or write operation. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising generating a second data packet comprising the payload data and a second data flow identifier and pushing the second data packet to a second host. 
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising code configured to direct a processor to:
 generate a data packet comprising payload data and a data flow identifier; and   push the data packet to a host, wherein a data flow resource of the host is identified by the host using the data flow identifier.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 13  comprising code configured to direct the processor to receive an Ethernet packet from an external device, and identifying the data flow identifier based on Ethernet header information of the Ethernet packet. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 13  comprising code configured to direct the processor to receive one or more control commands from the host and generating a control block based on the control commands, the control block including the data flow identifier.