Managing a pool of virtual functions including generating a virtual function pool comprising a plurality of virtual functions for at least one single root input/output virtualization (SR-IOV) adapter; creating a control path from a client virtual network interface controller (VNIC) driver in a first client partition to a target network using an active virtual function; receiving a failure alert indicating that the control path from the client VNIC driver in the first client partition to the target network using the active virtual function has failed; selecting, from the virtual function pool, a backup virtual function for the first client partition based on the failure alert; and recreating the control path from the client VNIC driver in the first client partition to the target network using the backup virtual function.