The invention relates to a network interface system for interfacing a host
system with a network. The network interface system includes a bus
interface system, a media access control system, and a security system.
The network interface offloads IPsec processing from the host processor.
According to the invention, the security system includes two processors
for encrypting and authenticating the outgoing data. Outgoing data
packets are sent alternately to one or the other processor, whereby
transmission processing can be accelerated relative to receive
processing.