Network Adapter Load Balancing Logic for Multi-Processor Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing load balancing solutions rely on dedicated computing devices, which are costly and complex to manage, and do not efficiently utilize multi-processor systems.
Innovation Solution
Integrating load-balancing logic into a network interface card that splits incoming network traffic into substreams and presents them to the operating system for processing across multiple interfaces, allowing for efficient distribution and processing by multiple processors or threads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dedicated computing devices are used for load balancing, then load balancing functionality is provided, but cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines load balancing functionality directly into the network adapter by integrating a load balancing module with the network interface card. This merging eliminates the need for separate dedicated load balancing devices, reducing system complexity and cost while maintaining load balancing functionality. The network adapter now performs both network interface functions and load balancing operations within a single integrated component.
Solution Approach 2:
The network adapter is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both a network interface card and a load balancing device. The load balancing module within the network adapter can distribute network traffic across multiple processors or threads, enabling the same hardware component to handle both network communication and load distribution tasks, thereby reducing the need for additional specialized devices.
2Reliability
If dedicated computing devices are used for load balancing, then load balancing is provided, but management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the load balancing module into the network adapter, the system reduces the number of separate components that need to be managed. The unified structure allows for simpler configuration and management compared to coordinating multiple separate devices, as the load balancing functionality is now part of the standard network adapter management process.
3Reliability
If multiple separate computing devices are used for load balancing, then traffic distribution is achieved, but processing efficiency across multi-processor systems is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The network adapter's load balancing module is designed to work seamlessly with multi-processor systems by distributing network traffic across multiple processors or threads within the same system. This enables efficient utilization of available processing resources, allowing the system to fully leverage its multi-processor architecture for handling network traffic, thereby improving processing efficiency while maintaining effective traffic distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for providing device-specific authentication are described. One example method includes receiving, by an input port of a network adapter within the computer system, a stream of network traffic; dividing, by load balancing logic within the network adapter, the received stream of network traffic into a plurality of substreams; and presenting the plurality of substreams to respective interfaces of the network adapter, each network adapter interface being accessible by an operating system executing on the computer system.