Patent ID: 6424621
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A multiprocessor computer system, comprising:a plurality of network interfaces each adapted to be coupled to respective external networks for receiving and sending data packets to and from remote devices coupled to said external networks via a particular communication protocol; a plurality of symmetrical processors including a control processor and at least one data packet switching processor, said at least one data packet switching processor being coupled to said plurality of network interfaces, said control processor further including a user portion and an operating system portion, said operating system portion of said control processor further including a pseudo-network driver that appears to be a network interface to user application programs operating on said user portion of said control processor; and a memory coupled to each of said plurality of symmetrical processors and having a memory space shared by said control processor and said at least one switching processor, said at least one data packet switching processor routing an incoming one of said data packets directed to one of said user application programs operating on said control processor from one of said remote devices to said shared memory space, said pseudo-network driver retrieving said incoming data packet from said shared memory space and providing said incoming data packet to said one of said user application programs.