Patent attributes
A method for receiving messages containing data conveyed over a network, using a network adapter coupled to a computing device having a system memory associated therewith. At least one queue of descriptors is generated in the system memory, each such descriptor indicating a disposition of the data contained in the messages to be received over the network. At least one of the descriptors is prefetched from the at least one queue in the system memory to a cache memory in the network adapter. When one of the messages is received at the network adapter, the adapter processes the at least one of the received messages so as to cause the data contained therein to be distributed in accordance with the at least one prefetched descriptor in the cache memory.