Network controller system that uses directed heartbeat packets

The present invention relates to computer networking systems, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for providing a network controller system that uses directed heartbeat packets. A network controller system including a plurality of network ports and a driver system that operates the network ports as a team. The team is operated to simulate a single logical device in one of several team modes, such as fault tolerance or load balancing modes, to enhance performance of communication of the computer in a network. The driver system periodically determines and updates the status of each of the network ports, where the status of each is based at least on whether at least one directed packet has been received and transferred to the driver system by a respective network port. If any one of the network ports has not received a directed packet within a predetermined time period, the driver system commands another network port to transmit a directed heartbeat packet to the network port that has not received a directed packet. The team may include a primary and one or more secondary ports. The primary port sends a directed packet to any secondary port that has not received a directed packet within the predetermined time period. One or more of the secondary ports may each send a directed heartbeat packet to the primary port if the primary port has not received a directed packet within the predetermined time period.