Techniques for providing client interfaces

A system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory comprising code stored thereon that, when executed, performs a method of providing client interfaces comprising:
• configuring a plurality of file server applications that communicate over a network using a shared network device that is a second network device, wherein said configuring includes:
• associating each of the plurality of file server applications with a different one of a plurality of virtual network devices, wherein each of the plurality of virtual network devices is bound to a different one of a plurality of unique MAC (media access control) addresses;
• and
• binding the plurality of virtual network devices to the second network device so that the second network device has a first plurality of addresses including the plurality of unique MAC addresses, wherein said binding includes:
• configuring the second network device with a plurality of sub-interfaces;
• and
• assigning each of the plurality of sub-interfaces of the second network device one of the plurality of unique MAC addresses of a corresponding one of the plurality of virtual network devices associated with one of the plurality of file server applications;
• and
• exposing, using the plurality of sub-interfaces of the second network device, the plurality of unique MAC addresses of the plurality of virtual network devices directly on the network, wherein each of the plurality of virtual network devices having one of the plurality of unique MAC addresses exposes an associated one of the plurality of file server applications directly on the network to one or more clients.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code stored thereon that, when executed, performs a method of providing client interfaces comprising:

• configuring a plurality of file server applications that communicate over a network using a shared network device that is a second network device, wherein said configuring includes:
• associating each of the plurality of file server applications is associated with a different one of a plurality of virtual network devices, wherein each of the plurality of virtual network devices is bound to a different one of a plurality of unique MAC (media access control) addresses;
• and
• binding the plurality of virtual network devices to the second network device so that the second network device has a first plurality of addresses including the plurality of unique MAC addresses, wherein said binding includes:
• configuring the second network device with a plurality of sub-interfaces;
• and
• assigning each of the plurality of sub-interfaces of the second network device one of the plurality of unique MAC addresses of a corresponding one of the plurality of virtual network devices associated with one of the plurality of file server applications;
• and
• exposing, using the plurality of sub-interfaces of the second network device, the plurality of unique MAC addresses of the plurality of virtual network devices directly on the network, wherein each of the plurality of virtual network devices having one of the plurality of unique MAC addresses exposes an associated one of the plurality of file server applications directly on the network to one or more clients.