Patent ID: 7751401

Claim:
A method for processing packets, comprising: receiving a first packet by a first socket on a host; determining, by the first socket, to process the first packet using a first virtual Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) offload engine (VTOE); transmitting the first packet to the first VTOE, wherein transmitting the first packet to the first VTOE bypasses a first virtual network stack (VNS) interposed between the first socket and first VTOE; transmitting the first packet to a hardware TOE (HW TOE) operatively connected to the host, wherein the HW TOE is configured to process the first packet in accordance with TCP and wherein the HW TOE is associated with the first VTOE and a second VTOE in the host; processing the first packet, using the HW TOE, to obtain a first processed packet; and transmitting the first processed packet to a network operatively connected to the HW TOE.