Virtual cloned device node

A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of implementing multiple virtual device nodes within a single operating system instance for a single hardware instance, the method comprising:

• in a computer system's devices tree data structure within a single isolated operating system instance, creating a hardware device node for a hardware device of the computer system;
• for each of multiple virtualizations of the hardware device, creating an associated pseudo clone node in the devices tree data structure, wherein each pseudo clone node has a major number of a pseudo clone driver and a different minor number, wherein said creating comprises:
• generating a configuration file for the pseudo clone driver, said configuration file including, for each of the virtualizations:
• a name of the pseudo clone driver;
• an instance identifier identifying an associated instance of the pseudo clone driver;
• a major number of a driver for the hardware device;
• and a virtual port of the hardware device;
• associating a separate communication address with each of the virtualizations;
• and
• for each of the virtualizations, configuring a corresponding communication filter in the hardware device to accept communications only for the associated pseudo clone node.

A computer-implemented method of establishing virtual device nodes for a hardware device, comprising:

• detecting a hardware device in a physical computer system operating a single isolated instance of an operating system;
• generating a hardware device node for the hardware device in a devices tree data structure of the single operating system instance;
• assigning a major number and a minor number to the hardware device node;
• opening a configuration file for a clone driver;
• based on the configuration file, creating, in a pseudo sub-tree of the single devices tree structure data structure, multiple virtual nodes corresponding to instances of said clone driver, wherein a first virtual node is configured with a first value for a first communications parameter and a second virtual node is configured with a second value for the first communications parameter, wherein the configuration file comprises, for each said virtual node:
• an instance identifier configured to identify the corresponding instance of said clone driver;
• a virtual port identifier configured to identify a virtual port of the hardware device;
• and a driver major number configured to identify a driver for the hardware device;
• and
• attaching one or more communication streams to each of said multiple virtual nodes, wherein all of the communication streams transit the detected hardware device.

A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of establishing virtual device nodes for a hardware device, comprising:

• detecting a hardware device in a physical computer system operating a single isolated instance of an operating system;
• generating a hardware device node for the hardware device in a devices tree data structure of the single operating system instance;
• assigning a major number and a minor number to the hardware device node;
• opening a configuration file for a clone driver;
• based on the configuration file, creating, in a pseudo sub-tree of the single devices tree data structure, multiple virtual nodes corresponding to instances of said clone driver, wherein a first virtual node is configured with a first value for a first communications parameter and a second virtual node is configured with a second value for the first communications parameter, wherein the configuration file comprises, for each said virtual node:
• an instance identifier configured to identify the corresponding instance of said clone driver;
• a virtual port identifier configured to identify a virtual port of the hardware device;
• and a driver major number configured to identify a driver for the hardware device;
• and
• attaching one or more communication streams to each of said multiple virtual nodes, wherein all of the communication streams transit the detected hardware device.

A computer-implemented method of virtualizing an instance of a hardware device, the method comprising:

• in a single, isolated operating system executing on a computer system comprising the instance of the hardware device, reading a configuration file associated with a clone driver;
• for each of multiple instances of the clone driver defined in the configuration file for operation within the single operating system:
• invoking an attach routine corresponding to the clone driver;
• creating a corresponding virtual node in a pseudo sub-tree of the computer system's devices tree data structure, each said virtual node having at least one operating property different from other virtual nodes;
• assigning said corresponding virtual node a major number matching a major number of the clone driver, wherein the major number identifies the clone driver as a driver for the hardware device;
• assigning said corresponding virtual node a minor number unique to said virtual node;
• creating a friendly name for said virtual node in the computer system's devices tree data structure;
• and
• opening said corresponding virtual node;
• and
• attaching one or more communication streams to each said virtual node.

A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of virtualizing an instance of a hardware device, the method comprising:

• in a single, isolated operating system executing on a computer system comprising the instance of the hardware device, reading a configuration file associated with a clone driver;
• for each of multiple instances of the clone driver defined in the configuration file for operation within the single operating system:
• invoking an attach routine corresponding to the clone driver;
• creating a corresponding virtual node in a pseudo sub-tree of the computer system's devices tree data structure, each said virtual node having at least one operating property different from other virtual nodes;
• assigning said corresponding virtual node a major number matching a major number of the clone driver, wherein the major number identifies the clone driver as a driver for the hardware device;
• assigning said corresponding virtual node a minor number unique to said virtual node;
• creating a friendly name for said virtual node in the computer system's devices tree data structure;
• and
• opening said corresponding virtual node;
• and
• attaching one or more communication streams to each said virtual node.

An apparatus for virtualizing a hardware device within an isolated instance of an operating system operating on a computer system comprising the hardware device, the apparatus comprising:

• a hardware device configured to receive communications;
• a driver for the hardware device;
• a clone driver;
• a configuration file for said clone driver, said configuration file defining multiple virtual device nodes to be created for the hardware device;
• and
• a single devices tree data structure maintained by the operating system, comprising:
• a hardware device node corresponding to the hardware device;
• and in a pseudo sub-tree, for each said virtual device node, a clone node corresponding to the clone driver and the hardware device, wherein each said clone node comprises:
• a major number matching a major number of the clone driver, wherein the major number identifies the clone;
• and a minor number distinguishing said clone node from said other clone nodes.