Patent ID: 8838837

Claim:
A computer system, comprising: a network interface controller, operable to couple the computer system to at least one network; and at least one processor, programmed to implement: a host machine, executing a host operating system; a virtual machine executing a virtual machine operating system implementing a networking stack; a bus to transfer information between the virtual machine operating system and the host machine operating system; a virtual function miniport to transfer information between the networking stack of the virtual machine operating system and the network interface controller; and a networking virtual switch client, in direct communication with both the bus and the virtual function miniport, enabling transfer of information from the networking stack of the virtual machine operating system to the network interface controller over either a direct path via the virtual function miniport or a synthetic path via the bus, wherein the networking virtual switch client is operable to determine whether to transfer information from the networking stack of the virtual machine operating system over the direct path or the synthetic path.