Patent ID: 7120653

Claim:
Method for providing an integrated file subsystem, said method comprising: a) providing a network processor unit; b) providing a first host, wherein said first host comprises a main memory, a storage resource having at least one physical storage device and a central processing unit (CPU) loaded with a first host operating system, wherein said network processor unit is coupled to said CPU by a first communication path; c) providing a storage processing unit, wherein said network processor unit communicates with said storage processing unit via a second communication path and said CPU is directly connected to said storage processing unit via a dedicated local access channel, such that no portion of either said first communication path or said second communication path overlap with any portion of said dedicated local access channel; and d) streaming real-time data through a real-time queue within said network processor unit with a guaranteed latency to said at least one physical storage device or from said at least one physical storage device independent of said host operating system, wherein said real-time data is streamed from said storage processing unit to said at least one physical storage device and said real-time data is streamed to said storage processing unit from said at least one physical storage device.