Patent ID: 7574578

Claim:
A method comprising: providing a data protocol type and length of first data; determining, in dependence upon the data protocol type and the length, a linked list memory buffer structure compatible with a BSD implementation and locations within the memory buffer structure for storage of data, the determined linked list memory buffer structure having at least one MBUF positioned at a location within the linked list memory buffer structure at which one of a segment or a fragment is determined to begin, the at least one MBUF having a data portion; storing within MBUF headers of memory buffers of the linked list memory buffer structure second data for forming the determined linked list memory buffer structure prior to storing the first data within the linked list memory buffer structure; storing the first data within the linked list memory buffer structure such that at least a portion of the data portion of the at least one MBUF is left absent of first data, the at least a portion for use in one of a fragmentation operation and a segmentation operation of the first data; and performing one of a segmentation operation and a fragmentation operation, wherein the at least a portion of the data portion of the at least one MBUF is filled with data relating to a segment or a fragment which is formed in response to performing the respective segmentation operation or fragmentation operation.