Network devices with multiple fully isolated and independently resetable direct memory access channels and methods thereof

A method, computer readable medium, and system independently managing network applications within a network traffic management device communicating with networked clients and servers include monitoring with a network device a plurality of applications communicating over a plurality of direct memory access (DMA) channels established across a bus. In a coherent restart, the interface controller of a network device receives 404 a request, for example by enabling a bit located in DMA packet buffers, from a first application communicating over a first DMA channel in the plurality of DMA channels to restart the first DMA channel. In response to the request, the first DMA channel is disabled 406 with the network device while allowing other executing applications in the plurality of applications to continue 408 to communicate over other DMA channels in the plurality of DMA channels. A state of the first DMA channel is cleared 413 independently from other DMA channels in the plurality of DMA channels, and communications for the first application over the first DMA channel are resumed 414, 416 with the network device. Alternatively, a non-coherent restart is based on the detection of a software crash or a malfunction of an application associated with DMA channels, or any other unexpected event involving the operation of one or more independently resettable DMA channels. In this case, a reboot of the malfunctioning software or application can be a possible solution.