Patent ID: 7284119
Filing Date: 2007-10-16
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. In a computer system environment including a sending station associated with at least one software component, and a NIC, a method for dynamically offloading, on a per-packet basis and depending on the then current needs of a computer system, an operating task from the software component to the NIC, thereby freeing up CPU resources of the computer system and increasing the overall efficiency of the computer system, the method comprising: receiving at a NIC, a data packet indicating that the NIC is to perform a specified operating task which a CPU of the computing system is capable of performing, wherein the request is submitted from a sending station to the NIC without the sending station knowing whether the NIC is capable of performing the operating task; and implementing the operating task in the event that the NIC includes task offload capabilities for implementing the operating task, and upon determining that the NIC fails to include task offload capabilities for implementing the operating task, causing the operating task to be performed by the CPU of the computer system.