System, method, and apparatus for load-balancing to a plurality of ports

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for load balancing to a plurality of ports is presented herein. A miniport driver is adapted to multiplex and demultiplex traffic workload across the ports. The miniport driver classifies outgoing packet streams and distributes each packet stream to a communication ring, such as an Ethernet ring, for example, associated with at least one of the ports. Additionally, the miniport driver can be configured to configure a operation of the plurality of ports in one of several modes, including a mode wherein the plurality of ports are operable and act as a single logical interface for the operation.

1 . An integrated network controller comprising:
 a plurality of ports; and   a control module connected to the plurality of ports and adapted to control a traffic workload across each of the plurality of ports, wherein the control module operates below a network design interface specification.   
   
   
       2 . The network controller of  claim 1 , wherein the control module comprises a miniport driver. 
   
   
       3 . The network controller of  claim 1 , wherein the control module multiplexes and demultiplexes the traffic. 
   
   
       4 . The network controller of  claim 3 , wherein the control module is adapted to classify outgoing packet streams and distribute such packet streams to a communication ring associated with at least one of said ports. 
   
   
       5 . The network controller of  claim 1 , wherein each of said ports is associated with a media access controller. 
   
   
       6 . The network controller of  claim 1 , further comprising a first memory for storing an operating mode indicator. 
   
   
       7 . The network controller of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of register sets, wherein each of said ports is associated with a particular one of the plurality of register sets. 
   
   
       8 . The network controller of  claim 6 , wherein one of the plurality of register sets includes a first base address register and a second base address register storing an address associated with another one of the plurality of register sets. 
   
   
       9 . An integrated network controller comprising:
 a plurality of ports for receiving a traffic workload; and   a control module for controlling the traffic workload across each of the plurality of ports, wherein the control module operates below a network design interface specification.   
   
   
       10 . The integrated network controller of  claim 9 , wherein the control module comprises a miniport driver. 
   
   
       11 . The integrated network controller of  claim 9 , wherein the control module multiplexes and demultiplexes the traffic. 
   
   
       12 . The integrated network controller of  claim 11 , wherein the control module classifies outgoing packet streams and distributes such packet streams to a communication ring associated with at least one of said ports. 
   
   
       13 . The integrated network controller of  claim 11 , wherein each of said ports is associated with a media access controller. 
   
   
       14 . The integrated network controller of  claim 9 , further comprising a first memory for storing an operating mode indicator. 
   
   
       15 . The integrated network controller of  claim 9 , wherein each of said ports is associated with a particular one of a plurality of register. 
   
   
       16 . The integrated network controller of  claim 15 , wherein one of the plurality of register sets comprises a first base address register and a second base address register storing an address associated with another one of the plurality of register sets.