Attaching a device driver to multiple logical devices of one physical device

A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of monitoring the attachment of multiple logical devices for a single physical communication interface, the method comprising:

• for each attachment of one of the multiple logical devices:
• incrementing a counter of the number of logical devices attached;
• noting a device information pointer assigned to said attached logical device;
• and
• recording an instance identifier assigned to said attached logical device;
• and
• after attachment of all of the multiple logical devices for the physical communication interface, initializing the physical communication interface.

A method of attaching a communication interface device driver to multiple logical devices of a single physical communication interface, the method comprising:

• receiving an identifier of the physical communication interface;
• initializing a device soft state structure for the physical communication interface if a device soft state structure does not already exist for the physical communication interface;
• receiving a first device information pointer assigned to a first logical device attached for the physical communication interface;
• receiving a first instance identifier of the first attached logical device;
• associating the first device information pointer with the device soft state structure;
• incrementing a count of the number of logical devices that have been attached for the physical communication interface;
• and
• initializing the physical communication interface after all of the multiple logical devices have been attached.

A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of attaching a communication interface device driver to multiple logical devices of a single physical communication interface, the method comprising:

• receiving an identifier of the physical communication interface;
• initializing a device soft state structure for the physical communication interface if a device soft state structure does not already exist for the physical communication interface;
• receiving a first device information pointer assigned to a first logical device attached for the physical communication interface;
• receiving a first instance identifier of the first attached logical device;
• associating the first device information pointer with the device soft state structure;
• incrementing a count of the number of logical devices that have been attached for the physical communication interface;
• and
• initializing the physical communication interface after all of the multiple logical devices have been attached.

A method of facilitating detachment of multiple logical devices associated with a single physical communication interface device, the method comprising:

• for a detached logical device, accessing a device soft state structure associated with a physical communication interface on which said detached logical device was defined;
• updating a count of the number of logical devices detached for the physical communication interface;
• and
• if said detached logical device was the last of a predetermined number of logical devices detached for the physical communication interface, resetting the physical communication interface.

A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of facilitating detachment of multiple logical devices associated with a single physical communication interface device, the method comprising:

• for a detached logical device, accessing a device soft state structure associated with a physical communication interface on which said detached logical device was defined;
• updating a count of the number of logical devices detached for the physical communication interface;
• and
• if said detached logical device was the last of a predetermined number of logical devices detached for the physical communication interface, resetting the physical communication interface.

A computer system configured to communicate with one or more other computer systems via a network, the computer system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• a first network interface device configured to provide access to the network;
• a first plurality of interrupt lines coupling said first network interface device to said one or more processors;
• and
• a first plurality of logical devices defined on said first network interface device, wherein each of said first plurality of logical devices is coupled to a separate one of said first plurality of interrupt lines.