Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for network resource virtual partitioning. An embodiment method includes mapping a plurality of hardware functions at a plurality of physical network interface devices into a plurality of virtual partitions (VPs) implemented using software, wherein the VPs are configured to manage and operate independent from one another the corresponding hardware functions at the physical network interface devises. An embodiment apparatus includes a processor configured to aggregate a plurality of hardware functions at a plurality of physical network interface devices into a plurality of virtual partition aggregations (VPAs), wherein the VPAs are configured to manage and operate independent from one another a plurality of corresponding subsets of the hardware functions to serve one or more clients.

Abstract: An apparatus for sharing network capabilities of a host system by one or more virtual machines. A unified virtual network interface instance is included within an operating system of a virtual machine operating within a virtual environment. The interface instance provides device specific network capability for the virtual machine. A host system supports the virtual machine and includes a network capability provider instance that interfaces with the unified virtual network interface to provide the device specific network capability for the virtual machine. A network capability provider enforces sharing of host-wide network capability as implemented through the one or more unified virtual network interfaces supported by the host system.

Abstract: A method for processing packets. The method includes receiving a first packet by a network interface card (NIC) from a network, determining, using a first classification level, a first receive ring group (RRG) for the first packet, determining, using a second level classification, a first receive ring (RR) in the first RRG for the first packet, sending the first packet to the first RR, and sending the first packet from the first RR to a host operatively connected to the network interface card, wherein the first packet is received by a first virtual network interface card (VNIC) associated with the first RRG, where the first RRG is located in the NIC.

Abstract: A method for processing packets. The method includes receiving a first packet by a network interface card (NIC) from a network, determining, using a first classification level, a first receive ring group (RRG) for the first packet, determining, using a second level classification, a first receive ring (RR) in the first RRG for the first packet, sending the first packet to the first RR, and sending the first packet from the first RR to a host operatively connected to the network interface card, wherein the first packet is received by a first virtual network interface card (VNIC) associated with the first RRG, where the first RRG is located in the NIC.