Cisco Technology, Inc.

Aniruddha Khare

John Gary Waclawsky

Steven Howard Berl

Saravanan Agasaveeran

Michael Boe

Satish Gannu

James Balestriere

Rajesh Agrawal

Karunakar Reddy Parne

Gordon Cox

M Salim Olime

A method for dynamic linking of software modules includes detecting an event during the execution of a computer program that resides in a first memory, ascertaining whether there is at least one required property associated with the event if the event is detected, determining a property identifier for the at least one required property and loading at least one code module from a second memory into the first memory based upon a property identifier configured with the executable code module. According to one aspect, the loading includes loading the at least one executable code module into the first memory if it is not in the first memory. According to another aspect, the at least one executable code module includes at least one dynamic link library (DLL). According to another aspect, the event includes the addition of a hardware device and the required property includes a hardware device PROM identifier.

Run-time property-based linking of software modules

The invention is directed to techniques for transferring data using a device driver that is arranged to prevent improper operation of a non-primary routine (e.g., an administrative operation) from causing improper operation of a primary routine (e.g., a data transfer operation). Accordingly, the primary routine can continue to operate properly after a failure of the non-primary routine. In one arrangement, a data communications device transfers data. The data communications device includes a port that couples to a network, and a processor coupled to the port. The data communications device further includes memory, coupled to the processor, that stores a device driver. The device driver has a first set of instructions that directs the processor to perform a data transfer routine that moves data between memory and the port, and a second set of instructions that directs the processor to perform an administrative routine. The second set of instructions is arranged to prevent improper operation of the administrative routine from causing improper operation of the data transfer routine. In particular, execution and communication mechanisms enable the primary and administrative routines to operate in such a fault-tolerant manner.

Methods and apparatus for transferring data using a device driver

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Aniruddha Khare