Packet coalescing

Abstract

In general, in one aspect, the disclosures describes a method that includes receiving multiple ingress Internet Protocol packets, each of the multiple ingress Internet Protocol packets having an Internet Protocol header and a Transmission Control Protocol segment having a Transmission Control Protocol header and a Transmission Control Protocol payload, where the multiple packets belonging to a same Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol flow. The method also includes preparing an Internet Protocol packet having a single Internet Protocol header and a single Transmission Control Protocol segment having a single Transmission Control Protocol header and a single payload formed by a combination of the Transmission Control Protocol segment payloads of the multiple Internet Protocol packets. The method further includes generating a signal that causes receive processing of the Internet Protocol packet.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus comprising:
 a network interface controller comprising circuitry that, when the network interface controller is in operation, is configurable to perform operations comprising:
 receive multiple Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/Internet Protocol (IP) packets, the multiple TCP/IP packets comprising respective TCP headers, respective IP headers, and respective payloads; 
 combine the respective payloads of the multiple TCP/IP packets to form a combined payload for inclusion in a coalesced packet in which the respective TCP headers and respective IP headers of the multiple packets are to be excluded; and 
 generate TCP header fields and IP header fields for the coalesced packet based, at least in part, upon the combined payload, the TCP header fields to be comprised in a single TCP header for the combined payload, the IP header fields to be comprised in a single IP header for the combined payload. 
   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the apparatus comprises an adapter that comprises the network interface controller. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the network interface controller comprises Application Specific Integrated Circuitry (ASIC). 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein: when the network interface controller is in the operation, the network interface controller is configurable for use in interrupt moderation operations. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein: when the network interface controller is in the operation, the network interface controller is configurable to implement TCP/IP offload operations. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the multiple TCP/IP packets, as received by the network interface controller, are to be encapsulated in Ethernet frames. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the network interface controller comprises physical layer circuitry for use in interfacing the network interface controller to network communications medium. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein: when the network interface controller is in the operation, the network interface controller is to determine, based at least in part upon header flow information of the multiple TCP/IP packets, whether the multiple TCP/IP packets belong to the same flow. 
     
     
         32 . A system comprising:
 a network interface controller to couple to a network, wherein the network interface controller comprises circuitry that, when the network interface controller is in operation, is configurable to perform operations comprising:
 receive multiple Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/Internet Protocol (IP) packets, the multiple TCP/IP packets comprising respective TCP headers, respective IP headers, and respective payloads; 
 combine the respective payloads of the multiple TCP/IP packets to form a combined payload for inclusion in a coalesced packet in which the respective TCP headers and respective IP headers of the multiple packets are to be excluded; and 
 generate TCP header fields and IP header fields for the coalesced packet based, at least in part, upon the combined payload, the TCP header fields to be comprised in a single TCP header for the combined payload, the IP header fields to be comprised in a single IP header for the combined payload 
   
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the system further comprises an adapter that comprises the network interface controller. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the network interface controller comprises Application Specific Integrated Circuitry (ASIC). 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein: when the network interface controller is in the operation, the network interface controller is configurable for use in interrupt moderation operations. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein: when the network interface controller is in the operation, the network interface controller is configurable to implement TCP/IP offload operations. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the multiple TCP/IP packets, as received by the network interface controller, are to be encapsulated in Ethernet frames. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the network interface controller comprises physical layer circuitry for use in interfacing the network interface controller to network communications medium. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein: when the network interface controller is in the operation, the network interface controller is to determine, based at least in part upon header flow information of the multiple TCP/IP packets, whether the multiple TCP/IP packets belong to the same flow. 
     
     
         40 . At least one non-transitory, machine accessible storage medium with instructions stored thereon, the instructions executable to cause a machine to:
 receive multiple Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/Internet Protocol (IP) packets while a network interface controller is in operation;   combine the respective payloads of the multiple TCP/IP packets to form a combined payload for inclusion in a coalesced packet in which the respective TCP headers and respective IP headers of the multiple packets are to be excluded; and   generate TCP header fields and IP header fields for the coalesced packet based, at least in part, upon the combined payload, the TCP header fields to be comprised in a single TCP header for the combined payload, the IP header fields to be comprised in a single IP header for the combined payload.   
     
     
         41 . The storage medium of  claim 40 , wherein the network interface controller comprises Application Specific Integrated Circuitry (ASIC). 
     
     
         42 . The a storage medium of  claim 40 , wherein the instructions are further executable to cause the machine to perform TCP/IP offload operations. 
     
     
         43 . The storage medium of  claim 40 , wherein the instructions are further executable to cause the machine to perform TCP/IP offload operations. 
     
     
         44 . The storage medium of  claim 40 , wherein the multiple TCP/IP packets, as received by the network interface controller, are to be encapsulated in Ethernet frames. 
     
     
         45 . The storage medium of  claim 40 , wherein the network interface controller comprises physical layer circuitry for use in interfacing the network interface controller to network communications medium. 
     
     
         46 . The storage medium of  claim 40 , wherein the instructions are further executable to cause the machine to determine, based at least in part upon header flow information of the multiple TCP/IP packets, whether the multiple TCP/IP packets belong to the same flow.