Patent ID: 8099521
Filing Date: 2012-01-17
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A network device comprising a network interface card (NIC), the network interface card comprising: a controller that manages data flow through a network interconnecting a plurality of processors, the processors of the processor plurality comprising a local memory divided into a private local memory and a public local memory, a local cache, and working registers; and a plurality of cache mirror registers coupled to the controller that mirror a portion of the local cache in the processors and receive data to be forwarded to the processor plurality, the cache mirror registers containing a cache line of data so that a portion of cache is mirrored on the controller, wherein the controller responds to a request to receive data from one or more of the processors by transferring the requested data directly to public local memory without interrupting the processor, and by transferring the requested data via at least one of the cache mirror registers for a transfer to processor local cache and to processor working registers; wherein the controller responds to a request to transfer data to the public memory of a processor, the public memory being managed by the processor via at least one cache mirror register, wherein the controller responds to the request to transfer data to the public memory of a processor by selecting at least one cache mirror register, selecting at least one location in the at least one cache mirror register for receiving the data, and transmitting the identity of the selected at least one cache mirror register to a memory manager of the requesting processor.