The VMP network adapter board (NAB): high-performance network communication for multiprocessors

Abstract

High performance computer communication between multiprocessor nodes requires significant improvements over conventional host-to-network adapters. Current host-to-network adapter interfaces impose excessive processing, system bus and interrupt overhead on a multiprocessor host. Current network adapters are either limited in function, wasting key host resources such as the system bus and the processors, or else intelligent but too slow, because of complex transport protocols and because of an inadequate internal memory architecture. Conventional transport protocols are too complex for hardware implementation and too slow without it.