| US 7,515,589 B2 | ||
| Method and apparatus for providing network virtualization | ||
| Utz Bacher, Tuebingen (Germany); Angelo Macchiano, Apalachin, N.Y. (US); Dennis R. Musselwhite, Hallstead, Pa. (US); Bruce H. Ratcliff, Red Hook, N.Y. (US); and Stephen R. Valley, Valatie, N.Y. (US) | ||
| Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, N.Y. (US) | ||
| Filed on Aug. 27, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/928,824. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0045089 A1, Mar. 02, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. H04L 12/56 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 370—392 [370/475; 709/245; 718/1; 718/104] | 12 Claims |
| 1. A method of providing network virtualization in an information handling system comprising a physical machine having a hypervisor
thereon for coupling to a network through a physical network adapter, said method comprising the steps of:
the hypervisor dividing the physical machine into a plurality of logical partitions, each of which has a host system residing
thereon;
the hypervisor dividing the physical network adapter into a plurality of logical network adapters;
the hypervisor receiving a command from one of said host systems requesting a data like layer address for that host system;
in response to the command requesting a data link address for that host system, the hypervisor generating a data link layer
address for the host system that is unique among data link layer addresses originating from host systems of the same physical
machine so as to distinguish the data link layer address for the host system from other data link layer addresses originating
from the other host systems on the same physical machine;
the hypervisor associating the unique data link layer address with the host system and with a logical network adapter; and
the physical network adapter associating the unique data link layer address with the host system.
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