Patent ID: 7093097

Claim:
A method for allocating non-pageable pinned kernel memory for use by time sensitive data communications processing, the method comprising the steps of: establishing a base non-pageable pinned kernel memory block; accepting a request for a non-pageable pinned kernel memory buffer, wherein the request comprises a specification of a buffer size for the non-pageable pinned kernel memory buffer; determining if the base non-pageable pinned kernel memory block contains sufficient non-pageable pinned kernel memory for the non-pageable pinned kernel memory buffer; and allocating, in response to a determination that there is insufficient non-pageable pinned kernel memory within the base non-pageable pinned kernel memory block, an additional non-pageable pinned kernel memory block that is at least as large as the buffer size and wherein the additional non-pageable pinned kernel memory block is not required to form a contiguous non-pageable pinned kernel memory section with the base non-pageable pinned kernel memory block, and wherein the additional non-pageable pinned kernel memory block has a predetermined size.