A novel network architecture that integrates the functions of an internet protocol
(IP) router into a network processing unit (NPU) that resides in a host computer's
chipset such that the host computer's resources are perceived as separate network
appliances. In one embodiment, functions previously performed by a complex disk
controller are now integrated into a storage processing unit (SPU) that can also
be deployed on the same chipset, where the SPU serves as an overall file and disk
management processor.
