A method of interfacing protocol application data frame operation requests with a data frame input/output device having a buffer structure containing data frames according to a buffer structure scheme, while maintaining isolation between the buffer structure and the protocol applications, the method comprising: receiving, with an interface, from a protocol application a data frame operation request for operation on a portion of an identified data frame within the buffer structure; linking, with the interface, the request to an appropriate data frame operation routine in the data frame input/output device; and wherein the method is characterized by: the data frame operation routine executing the request, in conjunction with the protocol application, on the portion of the identified data frame without requiring that the protocol application have knowledge of the buffer structure scheme, wherein executing comprises: determining a quantity of buffers of the buffer structure in which the portion of the identified data frame resides; and determining, based on the determined quantity, which to perform of: copying the portion of the identified data frame to a portion of memory used by the protocol application; and providing the protocol application with the address of the portion of the identified data frame in the buffer structure to enable the protocol application to perform the data frame operation on the identified data frame in the buffer structure. receiving, with an interface, from a protocol application a data frame operation request for operation on a portion of an identified data frame within the buffer structure; linking, with the interface, the request to an appropriate data frame operation routine in the data frame input/output device; and wherein the method is characterized by: the data frame operation routine executing the request, in conjunction with the protocol application, on the portion of the identified data frame without requiring that the protocol application have knowledge of the buffer structure scheme, wherein executing comprises: determining a quantity of buffers of the buffer structure in which the portion of the identified data frame resides; and determining, based on the determined quantity, which to perform of: copying the portion of the identified data frame to a portion of memory used by the protocol application; and providing the protocol application with the address of the portion of the identified data frame in the buffer structure to enable the protocol application to perform the data frame operation on the identified data frame in the buffer structure. the data frame operation routine executing the request, in conjunction with the protocol application, on the portion of the identified data frame without requiring that the protocol application have knowledge of the buffer structure scheme, wherein executing comprises: determining a quantity of buffers of the buffer structure in which the portion of the identified data frame resides; and determining, based on the determined quantity, which to perform of: copying the portion of the identified data frame to a portion of memory used by the protocol application; and providing the protocol application with the address of the portion of the identified data frame in the buffer structure to enable the protocol application to perform the data frame operation on the identified data frame in the buffer structure. determining a quantity of buffers of the buffer structure in which the portion of the identified data frame resides; and determining, based on the determined quantity, which to perform of: copying the portion of the identified data frame to a portion of memory used by the protocol application; and providing the protocol application with the address of the portion of the identified data frame in the buffer structure to enable the protocol application to perform the data frame operation on the identified data frame in the buffer structure. copying the portion of the identified data frame to a portion of memory used by the protocol application; and providing the protocol application with the address of the portion of the identified data frame in the buffer structure to enable the protocol application to perform the data frame operation on the identified data frame in the buffer structure.