Patent ID: 8214448
Filing Date: 2012-07-03
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for storing data packets in computer memory, the computer memory including DMA memory reserved for dynamic memory access (DMA) and non-DMA memory that is not reserved for DMA access, the method comprising: transferring received data packets from a network adapter to packet buffers in the DMA memory; associating with the packet buffers a time stamp of when the data packets are transferred to the packet buffers; iteratively copying packet buffers with associated time stamps older than a threshold age to application buffers in the non-DMA memory if there is a shortage of available DMA memory to store additional data packets; and indicating that the DMA memory previously used to store the packet buffers is available to store the additional data packet; wherein iteratively copying the packet buffer of the DMA memory to non-DMA memory is terminated when a DMA buffer target value of available DMA memory to store the additional data packets is reached.