Abstract: A computer readable medium comprising software instructions for managing resources on a host, wherein the software instructions comprise functionality to: configure a classifier located on a NIC, to forward packets addressed to a first destination address to a first HRR mapped to a first VNIC, wherein packets addressed to the first destination address are associated with a first PFC lane; configure the classifier to forward packets addressed to a second destination address to a second HRR, wherein packets addressed to the second destination address are associated with a second PFC lane; and transmit, by the first VNIC, a pause frame associated with the first PFC lane to a switch operatively connected to the physical NIC, wherein the switch, in response to receiving the pause frame, stores packets associated with the first PFC lane in a buffer without transmitting the packets.

Abstract: A method for power management. The method includes gathering resource usage data for a first blade and a second blade on a blade chassis, migrating each virtual machine (VM) executing on the first blade to the second blade based on the resource usage data and a first migration policy, wherein the first migration policy defines when to condense the number of blades operating on the blade chassis, and powering down the first blade after each VM executing on the first blade is migrated from the first blade.

Abstract: A method for sending packets. The method includes determining with which of a plurality of virtual serialization queues (VSQs) a first packet is associated, wherein a first application is attempting to issue the first packet, if a first VSQ of the plurality of VSQs has not exceeded a first bandwidth allocation, wherein the first VSQ is associated with the first packet and is associated with the first bandwidth allocation, then sending the first packet to the first VSQ, processing the first packet by a first virtual network stack (VNS) to obtain a first processed packet, wherein the first VSQ is associated with the first VNS, and sending the first processed packet to a physical network interface card (NIC) operatively connected to the first VNS. Alternatively, if the first VSQ has exceeded the first bandwidth allocation, then blocking the first application from issuing the first packet.

Abstract: A method for monitoring communication on a network. The method includes configuring a classifier using a monitoring rule, receiving a plurality of packets from the network; analyzing each of the plurality of packets by the classifier to determine to which of the plurality of packets satisfies the monitoring rule; forwarding any of the plurality of packets that satisfy the monitoring rule to a first hardware receive ring (HRR) located on a first physical network interface (NI), forwarding any of the plurality of packets that do not satisfy the monitoring rule to a second HRR, and transmitting a first number of packets from the first HRR directly to user level memory, wherein the user level memory resides on a host operatively connected to the first physical NI.

Abstract: A method for notifying a packet destination that includes receiving a packet by a network interface card (NIC), where the packet destination is a destination of the packet, classifying the packet, forwarding the packet to one of a plurality of receive rings on the NIC, determining whether the one of the plurality of receive rings comprises space to store the packet, dropping the packet if the receive ring does not comprise the space to store the packet, and sending a notification message to the packet destination, where the notification message indicates that the packet was dropped by the receive ring.

Abstract: A method for power management. The method includes gathering resource usage data for a first blade and a second blade on a blade chassis, migrating each virtual machine (VM) executing on the first blade to the second blade based on the resource usage data and a first migration policy, wherein the first migration policy defines when to condense the number of blades operating on the blade chassis, and powering down the first blade after each VM executing on the first blade is migrated from the first blade.

Abstract: A method for specifying input/output (I/O) settings for a virtual machine that includes specifying a bandwidth for the virtual machine, specifying a priority for the virtual machine, sending a mount request for a volume on a network attached storage (NAS) device by the virtual machine, where the bandwidth and priority are transmitted to the NAS device as part of the mount request, and receiving a mount handle by the virtual machine, where the mount handle is associated with the volume.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a method for scaling an application. The method includes executing a first instance of the application on a first computer in a chassis, where the first instance of the application is associated with a first VNIC and a second VNIC executing on the first computer. The method further includes loading a second instance of the application on a second computer in the chassis, where the second instance of the application is associated with a third VNIC and a fourth VNIC executing on the second computer. The method further includes re-programming a network express manager in the chassis to direct a portion of network traffic directed to the first VNIC to the third VNIC and executing the second instance of the application after the re-programming.

Abstract: A system for maintaining direct hardware access in the event of PNIC failure. A host for the system includes: a processor; a first and a second PNIC, where the first PNIC is activated and all other PNICs are deactivated; a host operating system; a virtual machine; and a hypervisor for transferring packets between the host operating system and the virtual machine. The host operating system includes a link aggregator, multiple host VNICs, and a virtual switch associated with the VNICs. The first virtual machine includes a virtual network protocol stack and a guest VNIC. The link aggregator is configured to determine whether the first PNIC has failed. Based on a determination that the first PNIC has failed, the link aggregator is further configured to: remove a virtual function mapping between the first PNIC and the virtual machine; determine the second PNIC; deactivate the first PNIC; and activate the second PNIC.

Abstract: A system for distributing network traffic among direct hardware access datapaths, comprising: a processor; one or more activated PNICs; a host operating system; and a virtual machine (VM). Each activated PNIC sends and receives data packets over a network. Each activated PNIC is configured with a virtual function. The VM includes a VNIC and a virtual link aggregator configured to maintain a list identifying each activated PNIC. Virtual function mappings for the VM associate the VM with virtual functions for the activated PNICs. The virtual link aggregator selects the first activated PNIC for servicing a network connection and determines a virtual function for the first activated PNIC. The VNIC for the first activated PNIC uses the virtual function to directly transfer network traffic for the network connection between the VM and the first activated PNIC.

Abstract: In general, the invention relates to a method for monitoring virtual wires. The method includes selecting a first virtual wire to monitor, wherein the first virtual wire connects a first virtual network interface card (VNIC) located on a first computer to a second VNIC located on a second computer, where the first computer and the second computer are connected to a chassis, and where the first virtual wire is implemented by the chassis. The method further includes collecting usage statistics associated with the first virtual wire, and performing a first action using the collected usage statistics associated with the first virtual wire.

Abstract: A method for debugging network connections that involves receiving a packet for a first destination by a network interface card (NIC), classifying the packet, sending the packet to a first receive ring associated with the NIC, and sending the packet from the first receive ring to a first virtual NIC, where the first virtual NIC is associated with a second destination, and where the second destination is used to debug the first destination.

Abstract: A method for notifying a packet destination that includes receiving a packet by a network interface card (NIC), where the packet destination is a destination of the packet, classifying the packet, forwarding the packet to one of a plurality of receive rings on the NIC, determining whether the one of the plurality of receive rings comprises space to store the packet, dropping the packet if the receive ring does not comprise the space to store the packet, and sending a notification message to the packet destination, where the notification message indicates that the packet was dropped by the receive ring.

Abstract: Techniques and modes of operation for using network interfaces in a single or multi-CPU environment are disclosed. The techniques provide a virtual “vertical perimeter” framework suitable for processing data through multiple network interfaces assigned to a single CPU. In this framework, techniques for installing and servicing a plurality of network interfaces with a single CPU utilizing virtual vertical perimeters and sub-queues is disclosed. A computer system including at least one CPU and more network interfaces than CPU's is disclosed. At least two of the interfaces are assigned to an associated CPU. The computer system includes an operating system with plurality of sub-queues and an associated sub-queue controller. The sub-queues are associated with at least two network interfaces assigned to the CPU. The sub-queue controller is configured for coordinating the generation and operation of the sub-queues thereby to facilitating message traffic through the at least two network interfaces.

Abstract: A computer readable medium comprising software instructions for: obtaining an allocation policy by a MAC layer executing on a host; receiving, a request for a transmit kernel buffer (TxKB) by a sending application executing on at least one processor of the host; obtaining a location of a plurality of available TxKBs on the host; obtaining a location of at least one available network interface on the host; obtaining a location of the sending application; allocating one of the plurality of available TxKBs to obtain an allocated TxKB, wherein the one of the plurality of available TxKBs is selected according to the allocation policy using the location of the plurality of available TxKB, the location of the at least one available network interface, and the location of the sending application, to obtain an allocated TxKB; and providing, to the sending application, the location of the allocated TxKB.

Abstract: A method for processing packets that includes receiving a first packet for a first virtual machine by a network interface card (NIC), classifying the first packet using a hardware classifier, where the hardware classifier is located on the NIC, sending the first packet to a first one of a plurality of receive rings based on the classification, sending the first packet from the first one of the plurality of receive rings to a first virtual network interface card (VNIC), sending the first packet from the first VNIC to a first interface, and sending the first packet from the first interface to the first virtual machine, where the first virtual machine is associated with the first interface, where the first VNIC and the first virtual machine are executing on a host.

Abstract: A system including a first physical network interface card (NIC) include a number of rings, where at least one of the rings is an active ring. The system further includes a host, operatively connected to the first NIC, and including Media Access Control (MAC) layer. The MAC layer is configured to obtain a power management policy, obtain a load associated with the active ring, determine, using the power management policy and the load, that the state associated with at least one of the rings must be changed, and change, in response to the determining, the state of at least one of the of rings.

Abstract: A method for processing packets. The method includes receiving a first packet, wherein the first packet is associated with a first protocol, classifying the first packet using a protocol associated with the first packet, sending the first packet to a first receive ring based on the classification, sending the first packet from the first receive ring to a first virtual network interface card (VNIC) based on an operating mode, sending the first packet from the first VNIC to a first protocol specific virtual network stack (VNS), wherein the first protocol specific VNS is configured to only process packets associated with the first protocol, and processing the first packet by the first protocol specific VNS to obtain a first processed packet.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer readable medium for reconfiguring a virtual network path. A virtual switching table associated with virtual network interface cards (VNICs) is populated and used to implement the virtual network path. The virtual network path includes a first virtual wire between a first VNIC located in a first computer and a second VNIC located in a second computer. A first network packet and a second network packet are placed in a receive buffer associated with the second VNIC. The first network packet is transmitted to the second VNIC using the virtual switching table. The second VNIC is migrated from the second computer to a third computer. The virtual switching table is updated based on migrating the second VNIC. The second network packet is transmitted to the second VNIC in the third computer using the virtual switching table.

Abstract: A method for media-based data transfer involves obtaining data, by a first virtual network interface card (VNIC) selected from multiple VNICs, where the multiple VNICs are associated with multiple virtual machines, where each of the multiple virtual machines is located in one of multiple computers communicatively coupled with each other via a chassis interconnect, and where the multiple computers share a physical network interface. The method further involves determining a media type connecting the first VNIC with a second VNIC selected from the multiple VNICs, where the first VNIC and the second VNIC are nodes of a virtual network path, where the first VNIC is located in a first computer selected from the multiple computers, and where the second VNIC is located in a second computer selected from the multiple computers. The method further involves choosing a transfer protocol based on the media type, and transferring the data from the first VNIC to the second VNIC using the transfer protocol.