Method and system for addressing a plurality of ethernet controllers integrated into a single chip which utilizes a single bus interface

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the invention may include receiving at least one message via a single bus interface to which each integrated Ethernet controller may be coupled. A bus identifier, bus device identifier and bus function identifier corresponding to the received message and which identifies a particular one of the integrated Ethernet controllers may be determined. The received message may be transferred to the particular integrated Ethernet controller based on the determined bus identifier, bus device identifier and bus function identifier, which were previously generated. The method may further include associating a bus function with the particular integrated Ethernet controller and mapping the associated bus function identifier to the bus function. A bus function process may be associated with the particular integrated Ethernet controller. The bus identifier may be associated with the single bus interface and the device identifier may be associated with the plurality of integrated Ethernet controllers.