Network Interface Device Supporting Multiple Interface Instances to a Common Bus

A data processing system comprising a host device and a network interface device, said network interface device comprising:

• a programmable interface configured to:
• provide a first set of one or more instances of device interfaces and, during operation of the network interface device, to change the first set of one or more instances of device interfaces provided by the programmable interface to a second set of one of more instances of device interfaces, each instance of device interface being with at least one bus, wherein the at least one bus is provided between the network interface device and a host device,
• the programmable interface being programmable to support a plurality of different types of a device interface during operation of the network interface device;
• and
• wherein the programmable interface comprises a scheduler configured to schedule access to the at least bus for each instance of device interface.

A method comprising:

• programming a programmable interface to:
• provide a first set of one or more instances of device interfaces and, during operation of a network interface device, to change the first set of one or more instances of device interfaces provided by the programmable interface to a second set of one of more instances of device interfaces, each instance of device interface being with at least one bus, wherein the at least one bus is provided between the network interface device and a host device, the programmable interface being programmable to support a plurality of different types of a device interface during operation of the network interface device;
• and
• scheduling access to the at least bus for each instance of device interface.