Means for allowing two or more network interface controller cards to appear as one card to an operating system

A method for supporting recovery from network adapter and connection failure, the method operating in a system including at least one transport protocol stack, and a plurality of network adapters coupled to a network, the method comprising:

• receiving a first MAC-level packet from a transport protocol stack in the at least one transport protocol stack;
• forwarding the first MAC-level packet to a network adapter in the plurality of network adapters;
• receiving a second packet from a network adapter in the plurality of network adapters;
• and
• forwarding the packet to a transport protocol stack.

A method for detecting failure of network adapters in a plurality of network adapters, the plurality of network adapters coupled to a server and including a primary adapter coupled to a plurality of secondary adapters, the primary and secondary adapters being coupled to a network, the method comprising:

• sending a packet from the server through the primary adapter across the network to a secondary adapter in the plurality of secondary adapters;
• attempting to receive the packet at the server from the secondary adapter;
• and
• if the packet is received by the secondary adapter, determining that the secondary adapter is receiving packets properly.

A method for detecting failure of network adapters in a plurality of network adapters, the plurality of network adapters being coupled to a server and including a primary adapter and a plurality of secondary adapters, the primary and plurality of secondary adapters being coupled to a network, the method comprising:

• sending a packet from the server through the primary adapter across the network to at least one secondary adapter in the plurality of secondary adapters;
• attempting to receive the packet from the at least one secondary adapter;
• sending a packet from the server through a secondary adapter in the plurality of secondary adapters to the primary adapter;
• attempting to receive the packet from the primary adapter;
• if packets sent by the primary adapter are not received by the at least one secondary adapter, and if packets sent by the secondary adapter are not received by the primary adapter, concluding that the primary adapter has failed;
• and
• converting a secondary adapter in the plurality of secondary adapters into a replacement primary adapter.

A method for load sharing traffic across a plurality of network interface controllers, comprising:

• receiving a MAC-level packet;
• selecting a network interface controller in the plurality of network interface controllers that is less loaded than other network interface controllers in the plurality of network interface controllers;
• and
• sending the MAC-level packet to the network interface controller.