Claims
- 1. A method for controlling data transmission over a data network, the method comprising:
- copying data to be transmitted from a main memory in a host computer to a buffer memory in a network controller while unallocated buffer memory locations remain available;
- transmitting data from the buffer memory over a physical link of the data network when a threshold quantity of the data has been copied to the buffer memory; and
- providing an indication to the host computer that a frame of data has been successfully transmitted over the physical link of the data network when the frame of data has been merely copied to the buffer memory.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- unallocating memory locations in the buffer memory upon successful transmission of the frame of data over the physical link.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold quantity of data is less than a frame of data.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold quantity of data is greater than a frame of data.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network controller monitors transmit events while transmitting data over the physical link of the data network.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the network controller maintains a statistical history of transmit events identified while transmitting data over the physical link of the data network.
- 7. An apparatus facilitating the transmission of data over a physical link of a data network, the apparatus comprising:
- a buffer memory having a plurality of memory locations; and
- a controller, coupled to the buffer memory, to initiate transmission of data over the physical link once a threshold quantity of data has been copied into the buffer memory from a communicatively coupled host computer, and to provide an indication to the host computer of successful frame transmission over the physical link when a predetermined quantity of data has been merely copied to the buffer memory.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the predetermined quantity of data is a frame of data.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the indication is a transmit complete signal.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller monitors transmit events while data is being transmitted over the physical link of the data network.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a storage medium wherein a statistical history compiled by the controller is maintained.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
Please refer to co-pending application Ser. No.08/541,925 filed on Oct. 10, 1995 by Aditya and Iyer, entitled METHOD OF COMMUNICATING DATA FROM A HOST TO A NETWORK CONTROLLER, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.
US Referenced Citations (7)