Remote functionality selection
First Claim
1. A network interface device providing a set of virtual network interfaces, comprising:
- one or more physical network ports and being configured to communicate with a data processing system via an internal physical data bus, andthe network interface device configured to, on receiving a network message having one or more predetermined characteristics and comprising an authentication key and configuration instructions defining a new virtual network interface;
verify the authentication key; and
when the authentication key is successfully verified, create the new virtual network interface defined in the configuration instructions of the network message,wherein the virtualized data processing system is configured further to run a plurality of quest operating systems running atop a hypervisor, the network interface device being configured to support a different virtual network interface for each of the plurality of guest operating systems,and wherein the network interface device is configured to, in conjunction with creating the new virtual network interface defined in the configuration instructions, via a network interface device driver of the network interface device, message the hypervisor to map the new virtual network interface into a new guest operating system created at the data processing system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A network interface device providing a set of functions in hardware and being operable in first and second modes: in a first mode, the network interface device being configured to operate with a selected configuration of the set of functions; and in a second mode, the network interface device being operable to select a particular configuration of the set of functions in accordance with configuration instructions received at the network interface device; the network interface device being configured to, on receiving a network message having one or more predetermined characteristics and comprising an authentication key and one or more configuration instructions defining a particular configuration of the set of functions: verify the authentication key; and if the authentication key is successfully verified, select the particular configuration of the set of functions defined in the configuration instructions of the network message.
171 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A network interface device providing a set of virtual network interfaces, comprising:
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one or more physical network ports and being configured to communicate with a data processing system via an internal physical data bus, and the network interface device configured to, on receiving a network message having one or more predetermined characteristics and comprising an authentication key and configuration instructions defining a new virtual network interface; verify the authentication key; and when the authentication key is successfully verified, create the new virtual network interface defined in the configuration instructions of the network message, wherein the virtualized data processing system is configured further to run a plurality of quest operating systems running atop a hypervisor, the network interface device being configured to support a different virtual network interface for each of the plurality of guest operating systems, and wherein the network interface device is configured to, in conjunction with creating the new virtual network interface defined in the configuration instructions, via a network interface device driver of the network interface device, message the hypervisor to map the new virtual network interface into a new guest operating system created at the data processing system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method configuring a network interface device providing a set of virtual network interfaces, the method comprising:
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receiving at a network interface device a network message having one or more predetermined characteristics, the network message comprising an authentication key and configuration instructions defining a new virtual network, wherein the network interface device has one or more physical network ports and is configured to communicate with a data processing system via an internal physical data bus; in response to receiving the network message, verifying the authentication key at the network interface device; and when the authentication key is successfully verified, creating the new virtual network interface defined in the configuration instructions of the network message, wherein the virtualized data processing system is configured further to run a plurality of guest operating systems running atop a hypervisor, the network interface device being configured to support a different virtual network interface for each of the plurality of guest operating systems, and wherein the network interface device is configured to, in conjunction with creating the new virtual network interface defined in the configuration instructions, via a network interface device driver of the network interface device, message the hypervisor to map the new virtual network interface into a new guest operating system created at the data processing system.
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28. A system comprising:
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a baseboard management controller, and a network interface device providing a set of virtual network interfaces, the network interface device having one or more physical network ports and being configured to communicate with a data processing system via an internal physical data bus, the network interface configured to, on receiving a network message having one or more predetermined characteristics and comprising an authentication key and configuration instructions defining a new virtual network interface, pass the configuration instructions and authentication key to the baseboard management controller which; verifies the authentication key; and when the authentication key is successfully verified, causes the network interface device to create the new virtual network interface defined in the configuration instructions of the network message, wherein the virtualized data processing system is configured further to run a plurality of guest operating systems running atop a hypervisor, the network interface device being configured to support a different virtual network interface for each of the plurality of guest operating systems, and wherein the network interface device is configured to, in conjunction with creating the new virtual network interface defined in the configuration instructions, via a network interface device driver of the network interface device, message the hypervisor to map the new virtual network interface into a new guest operating system created at the data processing system. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A virtualized data processing system comprising a network interface device which is configured to provide a set of virtual network interfaces,
the network interface device configured to, on receiving a network message having one or more predetermined characteristics and comprising an authentication key and configuration instructions defining a new virtual network interface: -
verify the authentication key; and when the authentication key is successfully verified, create the new virtual network interface defined in the configuration instructions of the network message, wherein the virtualized data processing system is configured further to run a plurality of guest operating systems running atop a hypervisor, the network interface device being configured to support a different virtual network interface for each of the plurality of guest operating systems, and wherein the network interface device is configured to, in conjunction with creating the new virtual network interface defined in the configuration instructions, via a network interface device driver of the network interface device, message the hypervisor to map the new virtual network interface into a new guest operating system created at the data processing system. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification