Patent ID: 7660322

Claim:
A method for sharing a multiple queue Ethernet adapter comprising: receiving a frame or packet in the adapter; determining whether the frame or packet is for one or more of a plurality of partitions that share the adapter; and if the frame or packet is for one or more of the plurality of partitions that share the adapter: storing the frame or packet in an adapter cache memory; determining one or more of the plurality of partitions to which the frame or packet is to be sent; and transferring the frame or packet from the adapter cache memory directly to a receive queue of each of the one or more partitions to which the frame or packet is to be sent wherein determining one or more of the plurality of partitions to which the frame or packet is to be sent further comprises: accessing a value stored in a register, the value indicating a type of address to use for determining one or more of the plurality partitions to which the frame or packet is to be sent; accessing a table stored in the adapter; and determining one or more of the plurality of partitions to which the frame or packet is to be sent based on the value stored in the register and data stored in the table.