Systems and methods for addressing multiple physical and virtual functions in network controller-sideband interface

An article of manufacture comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable medium;
• and
• computer-executable instructions carried on the computer-readable medium, the instructions readable by a processor, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to, in an information handling system comprising a host system having a host system processor and a device coupled to the host system processor:
• provide management of the information handling system via a management controller;
• and
• manage multiple functions instantiated on the device by communicating function-oriented sideband commands via a single sideband interface channel interfaced between the device and the management controller, each function-oriented sideband command including a function address field for setting forth a function of the multiple functions to which the function-oriented sideband command is addressed, wherein the multiple functions include at least one physical function and at least one virtual function.