Patent ID: 7730197

Claim:
A method for dynamically acquiring Media Access Control (MAC) addresses by a virtualized network adapter, comprising: sending a multicast message requesting MAC address allocation from the virtualized network adapter to one or more central MAC address servers, wherein the one or more central MAC address servers are within a subnet containing the virtualized network adapter; and allocating, by the one or more central MAC address servers, a MAC address from a predefined range of addresses for use by a logical adapter associated with the virtualized network adapter, wherein allocating, by the one or more central MAC address servers, the MAC address from the predefined range of addresses comprises: determining whether the predefined range of MAC addresses comprises unallocated MAC addresses; if the predefined range of MAC addresses comprises unallocated MAC addresses, allocating an unallocated MAC address to the virtualized network adapter, and if the predefined range of MAC addresses does not comprise unallocated MAC addresses; selecting a first MAC address from the predefined range of MAC addresses; determining whether the first MAC address is in use by the virtualized network adapter to which it is allocated; and allocating the first MAC address to the virtualized network adapter if the first MAC address is not in use and not intended to be used by the virtualized network adapter to which it is allocated.