Patent ID: 8645605
Filing Date: 2014-02-04
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for sharing virtual functions corresponding to a physical function of a single root input/output virtualization (SR-IOV) endpoint with a single host, the method performed by a management system of a switch, the method comprising: discovering, via a physical function driver, virtual functions corresponding to the physical function and creating a view in the management system; running the physical function driver to make system calls to the management system to create virtual functions in a tree hierarchy view of the management system; enumerating a group of available virtual functions corresponding to the physical function; mapping the group of available virtual functions to a non-transparent port of the switch by creating a copy of a configuration space for the physical function while assigning unique vendor and device identifications for different classes of devices, wherein the mapping creates a pseudo physical function exposing a subset of the SR-IOV capability from the configuration space for the physical function; receiving a request to access the physical function from the single host; and providing the pseudo physical function to the single host for loading on the single host, in response to the receiving of the request, wherein the pseudo physical function is designed to call management functions of the single host to enable the group of available virtual functions in a local hierarchy of the single host.