System and method for providing multi-process protection using direct memory mapped control registers

Abstract

A method and system for providing multi-process protection using direct memory mapped control registers is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method provides a set of control registers for each execution unit of a plurality of execution units in a controller switch. The controller switch facilitates communication between a host system and one or more devices connected to a plurality of device ports of the controller switch. A device driver is provided to allow users' processes to access the controller switch and to grant exclusive access to each execution unit of the plurality of execution units. A first access request to access an execution unit of the plurality of execution units is received from a first process. A set of direct accessible addresses to the set of control registers of the execution unit is allocated, and the first process is granted to exclusive access the execution unit until the first process release the exclusive access to the execution unit. A second access request to access the execution unit received from a second process is denied by checking the assignment of the set of direct accessible addresses to the set of control registers of the execution unit while the first process retains exclusive access to the execution unit.