Shared Receive Queue Pointer Management for Multi-QP Network Nodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of efficiently managing shared receive queues (SRQs) in network nodes to ensure high processing performance when multiple queue pairs (QPs) share a single SRQ, leading to storage space waste and inefficient data buffer management.
Innovation Solution
Implement a queue management method and apparatus that utilize production and consumption pointers to manage and consume shared receive queue elements (SRQEs) in an orderly manner, using index rings and prefetch mechanisms to optimize SRQ performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a shared receive queue (SRQ) is used to reduce storage space waste, then storage efficiency is improved, but managing multiple queue pairs (QPs) sharing the same SRQ becomes complex and processing performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The SRQ is segmented into multiple SRQEs (Shared Receive Queue Elements), each capable of storing data packets. This segmentation allows multiple QPs to share the same SRQ while maintaining individual data storage spaces, thus reducing overall storage waste while enabling efficient parallel processing for multiple QPs.
Solution Approach 2:
The host pre-allocates and initializes multiple SRQEs in advance, preparing them for future data packet storage. This preliminary action ensures that when data packets arrive for multiple QPs, pre-prepared storage spaces are immediately available, eliminating the need for dynamic allocation during processing and maintaining high processing performance.
2Loss of substance
If multiple QPs share a single SRQ, then storage space is optimized, but the complexity of managing SRQE allocation and consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the host acts as a mediator between multiple QPs and the shared SRQ. The host manages SRQE allocation and consumption on behalf of multiple QPs, using a unified management approach that simplifies the complexity compared to each QP managing its own queue separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The SRQ is designed with universal functionality to serve multiple QPs simultaneously. The same SRQ structure and management mechanisms are used for all QPs sharing the queue, creating a universal solution that reduces complexity compared to having separate management systems for each QP.
3Ease of operation
If SRQEs are managed without orderly production and consumption pointers, then access flexibility increases, but data packet processing order and reliability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic production and consumption pointers that automatically advance as SRQEs are allocated and consumed. This dynamic mechanism maintains flexibility in SRQE access while ensuring reliable ordered processing, as the pointers adapt to the current state of the queue and guide subsequent operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The production and consumption pointers provide feedback mechanisms that track the state of SRQE usage. This feedback ensures that data packets are processed in the correct order and that the system maintains reliability by knowing exactly which SRQEs are available, occupied, or consumed.
Data Source
AI summary
A network node includes a host and a network interface card. The host includes a shared receive queue (SRQ) and a plurality of queue pairs (QPs) that share the SRQ. The network interface card receives a data packet of a first QP, where the first QP corresponds to a first queue pair context (QPC) that includes validity information. When the validity information in the first QPC indicates that there is no available shared receive queue element (SRQE), and the production pointer and the consumption pointer that are in a share receive queue context (SRQC) are different, the network interface card obtains the SRQE corresponding to the consumption pointer in the SRQC based on the consumption pointer and the network interface card stores the data packet based on the obtained SRQE.