Hardware supported peripheral component memory alignment method

Abstract

A memory alignment system for efficient data transfer between a local memory that is configured in a host system, and a remote memory, comprises a data communications controller configured in the host system to align transmitted and received data based on formatting information received from the host system. When transmitting data from local system memory, for example over an Ethernet connection, communications control driver software may first write formatting information corresponding to the data into the data communications controller. The data communications controller is operable to align the data based on the formatting information as the driver software moves the data into a configurable transmit data buffer inside the data communications controller. Similarly, the driver software may write formatting information for receive data into a receive-format configuration buffer. The data communications controller may align the receive data based on the receive-formatting information as the receive data is being read by the host system. Because the data communications controller performs all the required data alignment, no data alignment by the host processor is required.