Patent ID: 7606965
Filing Date: 2009-10-20
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An information handling system, comprising: one or more processor nodes, each including one or more processors; at least one primary operating system image executable as a host operating system image by said one or more processors of one of said one or more processor nodes; one or more second-level operating system images executable by said one or more processors as guests above said at least one primary operating system; a communications interface having at least one communication port, said communications interface configurable to include a plurality of virtual switches to connect to said communication port, each said virtual switch including a plurality of virtual ports, at least some of said virtual ports having logical links activatable to support communications in at least one direction to one of said second-level operating system images and from one of said second-level operating system images; and a plurality of resources allocatable to said logical links to activate said logical links, wherein said communications interface is operable to provide information indicating a number of images of said virtual ports supportable by said communications interface, and is configurable to include one or more virtual switches connected to said communication port, each said virtual switch including a plurality of said virtual ports, such that said one or more of said virtual switches are configurable to support said number of images of virtual ports indicated by said provided information, and to activate one of said logical links upon request by one of said second-level operating system images.