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MINIPORT_IDLE_NOTIFICATION callback function (ndis.h)

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NDIS calls the MiniportIdleNotification handler function to start the NDIS selective suspend operation on an idle network adapter. Through this operation, the network adapter is suspended and transitioned to a low-power state.

Syntax

MINIPORT_IDLE_NOTIFICATION MiniportIdleNotification;

NDIS_STATUS MiniportIdleNotification(
  [in] NDIS_HANDLE MiniportAdapterContext,
  [in] BOOLEAN ForceIdle
)
{...}

Parameters

[in] MiniportAdapterContext

A handle to a context area that the miniport driver allocated in its MiniportInitializeEx function. The miniport driver uses this context area to maintain state information for a network adapter.

[in] ForceIdle

A BOOLEAN value that, when set to TRUE, specifies that the miniport driver must not veto the idle notification and must continue with the low-power state transition.

For more information about the ForceIdle parameter, see the Remarks section.

Return value

MiniportIdleNotification returns one of the following status values:

Return code Description
NDIS_STATUS_PENDING The miniport driver successfully handled the idle notification. The notification is left in a pending state until the miniport driver calls NdisMIdleNotificationComplete. Note: The miniport driver must not return NDIS_STATUS_SUCCESS from MiniportIdleNotification.
NDIS_STATUS_BUSY The miniport driver vetoed the idle notification because the network adapter is still being used. Note: MiniportIdleNotification must not return this status code if the ForceIdle parameter is set to TRUE.
NDIS_STATUS_FAILURE The miniport driver could not issue a bus-specific IRP successfully.

Remarks

The MiniportIdleNotification handler function is required for miniport drivers that support the NDIS selective suspend interface. For more information about how the driver registers its selective suspend handler functions, see Registering NDIS Selective Suspend Handler Functions.

NDIS sets the ForceIdle parameter to FALSE when the network adapter has been inactive for longer than the idle time-out period. Therefore, NDIS selectively suspends only the network adapter.

The duration of the idle time-out period is specified by the value of the *SSIdleTimeout INF keyword. For more information about this keyword, see Standardized INF Keywords for NDIS Selective Suspend.

Note

NDIS sets the ForceIdle parameter to TRUE only when a system that is compliant with the Always On Always Connected (AOAC) technology is transitioning to a Connected Standby state.

If the miniport driver determines that the network adapter is being used, it can veto the idle notification request by returning NDIS_STATUS_BUSY. This causes NDIS to restart the monitor of activity on the network adapter.

If the adapter becomes inactive again within the idle time-out period, NDIS calls MiniportIdleNotification.

Note

The miniport driver must not return NDIS_STATUS_BUSY if the ForceIdle parameter is set to TRUE.

After the idle notification is issued, it can be canceled and completed in the following way:

  • NDIS can cancel the outstanding idle notification if the following conditions are true:

    • An overlying protocol or filter driver issues either a send packet request or an OID request to the miniport driver.
    • The underlying adapter signals a wake-up event, such as receiving a packet that matches a wake-on-LAN (WOL) pattern or detecting a change in its media connection status.

    NDIS cancels the idle notification by calling MiniportCancelIdleNotification. When this handler function is called, the miniport driver cancels any bus-specific IRPs that it may have previously issued for the idle notification. Finally, the miniport driver calls NdisMIdleNotificationComplete to complete the idle notification.

  • After the network adapter is in a low-power state, the miniport driver can complete the idle notification itself in order to resume the adapter to a full-power state. The reasons for doing this are specific to the design and requirements of the driver and adapter.

    The miniport driver completes the idle notification by calling NdisMIdleNotificationComplete. For more information about how the miniport driver completes the idle notification, see Completing the NDIS Selective Suspend Idle Notification.

For more information on how to handle idle notifications for NDIS selective suspend, see Handling the NDIS Selective Suspend Idle Notification.

For guidelines on how to implement the MiniportIdleNotification handler function, see Implementing a MiniportIdleNotification Handler Function.

Requirements

Requirement Value
Minimum supported client Supported in NDIS 6.30 and later.
Target Platform Windows
Header ndis.h (include Ndis.h)
IRQL PASSIVE_LEVEL

See also

MiniportCancelIdleNotification

NdisMIdleNotificationComplete