Patent ID: 7694043

Claim:
A method for exchanging data between a central processing unit (CPU) and an input/output processor (IOP), the method comprising the steps of: obtaining an empty buffer at a CPU, the empty buffer being previously released with at least one data packet therein from the CPU to an IOP, back from the IOP; placing the empty buffer in a buffer pool belonging to the CPU, wherein the buffer pool is located in at least one memory; making a first determination whether a current buffer of the CPU has at least one data packet therein; making a second determination whether there is at least one more data packet to come for sending from the CPU to the IOP where the first determination is positive; evaluating empty buffers in the buffer pool belonging to the CPU; and releasing the current buffer from the CPU to the IOP where the second determination is negative and the evaluation of the empty buffers satisfies a predetermined threshold.