Method and system for memory management

1. A machine implemented method, comprising:

providing a single-ported memory having a plurality of blocks configured for storing information and only accessible to a plurality of clients;

configuring a dual-ported memory having a plurality of blocks for storing links and accessible to the plurality of clients and to a list manager that maintains a data structure for allocating memory blocks from the first memory and the second memory to the plurality of clients; wherein the dual-ported memory is accessible to both the plurality of clients and the list manager;

receiving a request from a client for access to memory storage at the single-ported memory and the dual-ported memory; and

allocating a block of the single-ported memory to the client and a block of the dual-ported memory to the client;

wherein after the client has used the memory storage, the allocated block of the single-ported memory and the dual-ported memory are released to a free list data structure used by the list manager to assign storage.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing a link for a next available memory block at the dual-ported memory; wherein the list manager allocates the block of the single-ported memory and stores the link at the dual-ported memory.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of clients are hardware modules of an adapter coupled to a computing system.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the single-ported memory and the dual-ported memory are located at the adapter.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the adapter is configured to send and receive network information using a network protocol.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the adapter is configured to send and receive information complying with a storage protocol.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the adapter is configured to send and receive information complying with a protocol that can handle both network and storage information.

8. A machine implemented method, comprising:

receiving a request from a client from among a plurality of clients for access to memory storage at a single-ported memory and a dual-ported memory;

wherein the single-ported memory is accessible only to the plurality of clients and includes a plurality of blocks configured for storing information on behalf of the plurality of clients;

wherein the dual-ported memory includes a plurality of blocks for storing links, and is accessible to the plurality of clients and to a list manager that maintains a data structure for allocating memory blocks from the single-ported memory and the dual-ported memory to the plurality of clients; and

allocating a block of the single-ported memory and a block of the dual-ported memory to the client; and

storing a link for a next available memory block at the dual-ported memory; wherein the list manager allocates the block of the single-ported memory and stores the link at the dual-ported memory.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein after the client has used the memory storage, the allocated block of the single-ported memory and the dual-ported memory are released to the data structure used by the list manager to allocate storage.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of clients are hardware modules of an adapter coupled to a computing system.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the single-ported memory and the dual-ported memory are located at the adapter.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the adapter is configured to send and receive network information using a network protocol.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the adapter is configured to send and receive information complying with a storage protocol.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the adapter is configured to send and receive information complying with a protocol that can handle both network and storage information.

15. A device, comprising:

a single-ported memory accessible only to a plurality of clients, the single-ported memory including a plurality of blocks configured for storing information on behalf of the plurality of clients; and

a dual-ported memory having a plurality of blocks for storing links, the dual-ported memory being accessible to the plurality of clients and to a list manager that maintains a data structure for allocating memory blocks from the single-ported memory and the dual-ported memory to the plurality of clients; wherein in response to a client request, the list manager allocates a block of the single-ported memory and a block of the dual-ported memory to the client, and stores a link for a next available memory block at the dual-ported memory.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of clients are hardware modules of an adapter coupled to a computing system.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the single-ported memory and the dual-ported memory are located at the adapter.

18. The device of claim 16 , wherein the adapter is configured to send and receive network information using a network protocol.

19. The device of claim 16 , wherein the adapter is configured to send and receive information complying with a storage protocol.

20. The device of claim 16 , wherein the adapter is configured to send and receive information complying with a protocol that can handle both network and storage information.