NETWORK CONTROLLER - SIDEBAND INTERFACE PORT CONTROLLER

摘要

A network interface controller includes a media access controller and a host adapter. The host adapter includes a transmit route connected to receive an in-band packet from a host and further connected to transmit the in-band packet to the media access controller. The network interface controller also includes a sideband port controller connected to receive a sideband packet destined for a network from a sideband endpoint and further connected to transmit the sideband packet to the host adapter. The host adapter further includes a host buffer to store the in-band packet, a sideband buffer to store the sideband packet, and an arbiter connected to allow, at different times, the in-band packet to advance along the transmit route from the host buffer to the media access controller and the sideband packet to advance along the transmit route from the sideband buffer to the media access controller.

主权项

1. A method of transmitting data in a network interface controller, the method comprising:
receiving an in-band packet from a host and storing the in-band packet in a host buffer; receiving a sideband packet from a sideband port controller and storing the sideband packet in a sideband buffer; determining, with an arbiter, which of the in-band packet in the host buffer and the sideband packet in the sideband buffer to transmit to a media access controller; transmitting, at a time, the in-band packet in the host buffer to the media access controller and from the media access controller to a network; and transmitting, at a different time, the sideband packet in the sideband buffer to the media access controller and from the media access controller to the network.