Socket compatibility layer for toe

Abstract

There is provided a socket compatibility layer for a TOE in a high quality server system. The socket compatibility layer for a TOE provides a standard socket API to an application program and provides binary-level compatibility so that a networking function of a TOE can be used without modifying the conventional socket application program thereby supporting simultaneous use of a TOE and a general Ethernet-based NIC. In a kernel structure of the Linux operation system, the socket compatibility layer for a TOE is located below a BSD socket layer receiving a socket system call from an application program through a standard socket API, is located above an INET socket layer and a TOE driver to control connection between an upper layer and a lower layer, and transmits the socket system call received from the BSD socket layer to the TOE driver or the INET socket layer according to call contents of the socket system call. The socket compatibility layer for a TOE includes a TOE socket generation module, a virtual TOE socket, a TOE STREAM module unit and a TOE DGRAM module unit.