Kernel Space Cryptographic Component for Zero-Copy Data Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In Unix-style operating systems, the frequent copying of data between user space and kernel space for protocol processing consumes significant computational and memory resources, especially when cryptographic computations are required, as existing zero-copy mechanisms are not applicable in these scenarios.
Innovation Solution
Maintaining a set of cryptographic algorithms in the kernel space allows user space protocol heads to perform computations on data payloads in kernel space without copying them to user space, enabling zero-copy processing by generating cryptographic results and message framing within the kernel, which are then assembled and sent over sockets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If data is copied from kernel space to user space for cryptographic computations, then cryptographic operations can be performed on protocol framing information, but data copying overhead increases computational and memory resource consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a kernel space cryptographic component as an intermediary that enables user space protocol heads to perform cryptographic operations on kernel space data without copying data to user space. This mediator component receives computation requests from user space, performs the cryptographic operations directly on kernel space data, and returns results to user space, thereby eliminating the need for data copying while maintaining protocol head autonomy in user space.
2Productivity
If zero-copy mechanisms are used to avoid data copying, then resource consumption is reduced, but cryptographic computations on data payloads become inapplicable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cryptographic operation capability into a separate kernel space component that can be independently accessed by multiple user space protocol heads. This segmentation allows the kernel space cryptographic component to maintain data in kernel space while providing cryptographic services to multiple protocols, enabling zero-copy operations for each protocol without requiring data to be copied to user space.
Solution Approach 2:
The kernel space cryptographic component is designed as a universal service that can handle cryptographic operations for multiple different protocols simultaneously. It provides a common interface for various user space protocol heads to perform cryptographic computations on their respective data payloads without copying, making the zero-copy mechanism adaptable to diverse protocol requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple protocols require cryptographic computations on the same data payload, then each protocol head needs to copy data to user space for processing, but this increases copying overhead and resource consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cryptographic operation capability into a shared kernel space component that serves multiple user space protocol heads. Instead of each protocol head having separate cryptographic processing in user space, they all access the same kernel space cryptographic component, which processes data for multiple protocols without requiring repeated copying of the same data payload to user space.
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations are provided herein for maintaining a set of cryptographic algorithms in the kernel. User space applications can call on the set of cryptographic logic algorithms in the kernel to perform computations on data payloads residing in kernel space memory without having to copy the data payloads out of kernel space memory into user space memory. The results of the cryptographic logic being applied to data payloads can be packaged together with message framing originating from user space and data payloads in the kernel space as a protocol message that can sent through the network stack to a socket. It can be appreciated that by retaining protocol logic in user space, just the cryptographic algorithms need be added to the kernel.