System and method for transforming PCIe SR-IOV functions to appear as legacy functions

1. A system for transforming a single root input/output Virtualization (SR-IOV) function to appear as a legacy function, comprising:

a switch platform coupled between a legacy host and a SR-IOV-enabled end device, the switch platform comprising:

a processor programmed to discern configuration cycles by type and to process the configuration cycles, and

one or more local registers that store data related to the configuration cycles.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the configuration cycles relate an address space in a configuration register to a physical address of the end device.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the end device is a PCIe I/O device.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising means for translating an incoming memory cycle from the host processor into a memory cycle capable of being understood by the end device.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

means for detecting a hot plug operation wherein a replacement device is inserted in place of the end device; and

means for configuring the replacement device such that virtual functions of the replacement device appear to the host processor as legacy functions.

6. A method for transforming between SR-IOV virtual functions of a SR-IOV end device and an address space of a legacy host processor, comprising:

receiving, at a switch platform intermediary between the end device and the host processor, a configuration cycle from the host processor;

comparing the configuration cycle from the host processor to a configuration register and determining a type of configuration cycle;

performing a transform operation on the received configuration cycle; and

returning a configuration complete cycle to the host processor.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising

sending the transformed configuration cycle to the end device;

receiving a configuration complete signal from the end device; and

transforming the received configuration complete signal to produce the configuration complete cycle.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising transforming a memory access cycle by comparing an incoming memory cycle to a base address register in a configuration register, wherein a memory address is transformed.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving an indication of a hot plug operation wherein a replacement device is inserted in place of the end device;

sending a configuration cycle to switch platform; and

receiving a configuration complete cycle from the end device.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

storing information related to the replacement device in the switch platform; and

generating the configuration complete cycle in the switch platform.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

storing a first portion of the information related to the replacement device in the switch platform;

sending a second portion of the information related to the replacement device to the replacement device;

receiving from the replacement device, a configuration complete signal based on the received second portion of the information;

combining the stored first portion of the information and the configuration complete signal to generate the configuration complete cycle; and

sending the configuration complete cycle to the host processor.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

sending the configuration cycle to the replacement device;

receiving from the replacement device, a configuration complete signal;

transforming the received configuration complete signal; and

sending the transformed signal, as a configuration complete cycle, to the host processor.

13. A system that performs transforms such that a legacy host processor can be assigned virtual functions of a SR-IOV end device, comprising:

an intelligent switch fabric intermediate between the host processor and the end device, the switch fabric including:

processing means to identify a type of end device from which a virtual function emanates,

storage means for storing selected information related to the end device,

means for transforming incoming host defined destination information into corresponding end device defined destination information, and

means for transforming incoming end device completion information for the end device into corresponding completion information for the host processor; and

means for receiving configuration cycles and configuration complete cycles at the switch fabric.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

means for discovering a hot plug operation wherein a replacement device replaces the end device; and

means for configuring the replacement device.

15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

means for storing information related to bus/device/function information of the end device in the switch fabric; and

generating the configuration complete cycle in the switch fabric.

16. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

means for storing a first portion of the information related to the end device in the switch fabric;

means for sending a second portion of the information related to the end device to the end device;

means for receiving from the end device, a configuration complete signal based on the received second portion of the information;

means for combining the stored first portion of the information and the configuration complete signal to generate the configuration complete cycle; and

means for sending the configuration complete cycle to the host processor.

17. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

means for sending the configuration cycle to the end device;

means for receiving from the end device, a configuration complete signal;

means for transforming the received configuration complete signal; and

means for sending the transformed signal, as a configuration complete cycle, to the host processor.

18. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

means for detecting a hot plug operation wherein a replacement device replaces the end device; and

means for transforming bus/device/function information from the replacement device, wherein functions of the replacement device appear to the host processor as legacy functions.

19. The system of claim 1 further comprising the legacy host and the SR-IOV-enabled end device.

20. The system of claim 13 further comprising the legacy host processor and the SR-IOV-enabled end device.