NIC Queue Pair Context Validation for Multi-VM Security

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing network interface devices lack effective mechanisms to validate and manage queue pairs (QPs) in a secure and efficient manner, particularly in environments with multiple virtual machines, leading to potential security risks and resource mismanagement.

Innovation Solution

A network interface device with a processor configured to fetch and validate QP contexts, replacing invalid values, ensuring compliance with criteria, and managing QP states to prevent unauthorized access and optimize resource utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If queue pair contexts are stored in host memory without validation, then device complexity is reduced, but security risks and resource mismanagement increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidvalidation mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements validation of queue pair contexts before they are used for data transfer operations. The validation checks occur when contexts are fetched from host memory, ensuring security and resource management requirements are met before operations proceed, rather than adding complexity to the storage mechanism itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The network interface device acts as an intermediary between host memory and the data transfer operations. It fetches queue pair contexts from host memory and performs validation as a mediating step, ensuring that only valid contexts are used without requiring changes to the host memory storage structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If all queue pair operations are validated against ownership criteria, then resource mismanagement is prevented, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource managementVSAvoidvalidation processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent validates specific critical fields of the queue pair context (such as ownership identifiers and resource references) rather than performing exhaustive validation of all possible parameters. This partial validation approach ensures resource management security while minimizing the time overhead compared to complete validation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If invalid values in queue pair context are replaced with valid values, then system reliability is improved, but loss of information occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation validityVSAvoidoriginal context data

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent identifies invalid values in queue pair contexts and replaces them with appropriate valid values during the validation process. This converts potentially harmful invalid data into beneficial valid data, ensuring operation correctness while maintaining the essential functional intent of the original context through careful selection of replacement values.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS12499073B2Network interface device

Publication Date: 2025.12.16 XILINX INC

AI summary

A network interface device comprises at least one processor configured to validate at least a part of a context associated with a queue pair, the context being fetched from a memory on a host device.