Patent ID: 8005022
Filing Date: 2011-08-23
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising software instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform a method for processing packets, the method comprising: registering a physical network interface card (NIC) with a host; querying the NIC, by a device driver associated with the NIC, to obtain hardware information associated with the NIC, wherein the hardware information comprises: receiving a first packet for a first virtual machine by the NIC, wherein the first packet is classified using a hardware classifier located on the NIC, and wherein the first packet is sent to a first receive ring of a plurality of receive rings based on the classification; receiving the first packet from the first one of the plurality of receive rings by a first virtual network interface card (VNIC) executing on the host, wherein the first VNIC is located in a Media Access Control (MAC) layer of the host, wherein the first packet is sent directly from the first receive ring to the first VNIC using the first function entry point; sending the first packet directly from the first VNIC to a first interface; and sending the first packet from the first interface to the first virtual machine, wherein the first virtual machine is associated with the first interface, wherein the first virtual machine is executing on the host.