Network communications for operating system partitions

A method for distributing network communications on a computer system, the method comprising:

• receiving a data packet at a logical switch in the computer system, the computer system running multiple operating system partitions;
• wrapping the data packet from one operating system partition of the computer system to another operating system partition of the computer system through a hardware path internal to the computer system when information in the packet indicates a wrap path;
• and
• sending the data packet received from an operating system partition to a physical port coupled to an external network, or received from the external network to an operating system partition, when information in the data packet indicates a non-wrap path.

An apparatus for distributing network communications among multiple operating system partitions provided on a computer system, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one physical port coupled to an external network, the physical port allowing communications between the external network and the computer system;
• a plurality of logical ports, wherein each of the logical ports is associated with one of the operating system partitions;
• and
• a logical switch implemented internally to the computer system that selects the physical port and the logical ports and enables communication of information to the operating system partitions and the physical port.

An apparatus for providing network communications for a computer system, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one physical port coupled to a network, the physical port allowing communications between the network and the computer system;
• a plurality of connection queues for storing data packets that are to be sent from or received by at least one process in at least one user space of the computer system, wherein each connection queue is associated with a different network connection between one of the at least one processes and the network;
• and
• a default operating system queue for storing data packets that are to be sent from or received by a kernel of an operating system partition implemented by the computer system.

A method for providing network communications for a computer system, the method comprising:

• receiving a data packet at a network adapter;
• storing the data packet in one of a plurality of connection queues, the connection queues for storing data packets that are to be sent from or received by at least one process in at least one user space of the computer system via associated network connections;
• and
• storing the data packet in a default operating system queue if no network connection can be found for the data packet, the default operating system queue for storing data packets that are to be sent from or received by a kernel of an operating system partition implemented by the computer system.