Network adapter with high throughput data transfer circuit to optimize network data transfers, with host receive ring resource monitoring and reporting

摘要

A network adapter with high throughput data transfer circuit to optimize network data transfers, with host receive ring resource monitoring and reporting is disclosed. Time critical network data is transferred between the network adapter and the host computer system by means of a high throughput data transfer circuit. The high throughput data transfer circuit is designed to provide throughput equal to the bandwidth of a high speed local area network such as the Fiber Distributed Data Interconnect. The high throughput data transfer circuit will inform the local intelligence of the network adapter if the network adapter has used up all host computer system memory allocated for storing data received from the network. Adapter management data is transferred between the network adapter and the host computer system local area network through a lower throughput data transfer circuit.