Patent ID: 8693483

Claim:
A method for implementation by a bridge device that is positioned to transfer data packets between a specified logical partition (LPAR) system and a specified host, wherein said method comprises the steps of: detecting a packet transmitted to said bridge device in order to set up a connection between said LPAR system and said host, wherein said packet is transmitted by a transmitting component for said connection, said transmitting component comprises, selectively, one of said LPAR system or said host, and a receiving component for said connection comprises the other of said LPAR system or said host, and said transmitted packet has a maximum segment size (MSS) value that indicates an initial MSS value for the connection; determining whether said detected packet has an MSS value that is greater than, equal to or less than a prespecified MSS value wherein said prespecified MSS value is equal to the maximum size of packet frames that can be supported by said bridge device; and responsive to determining that said detected packet has an MSS value that is greater than said prespecified MSS value, preventing said transmitting component from sending packets to said bridge device that have MSS values which exceed said prespecified MSS value, and altering said detected packet to establish said prespecified MSS value as the MSS value for said connection.