Patent ID: 8023528

Claim:
A network interface unit, the network interface unit coupling a network to a plurality of processing entities, the network interface unit comprising: a plurality of resources, the plurality of resources including: a plurality of direct memory access (DMA) channels each dedicated to a respective one of the plurality of processing entities and a portion of memory assigned to that processing entity; a plurality of buffers each coupled to and dedicated to a respective one of the plurality of direct memory access channels; and a packet classifier configured to, for each packet of a plurality of packets received by the network interface unit from the network, assign the packet to a particular direct memory access channel of the plurality of direct memory access channels based on information within the packet; wherein the network interface unit is configured to: for each packet of the plurality of packets, store the packet in a particular buffer of the plurality of buffers that is dedicated to the particular direct memory access channel to which the packet is assigned; and provide the plurality of processing entities with concurrent access to the network interface unit without mutex contention on the plurality of resources; wherein the network interface unit, the network, and the plurality of processing entities are each distinct from each other.