Patent ID: 7653774

Claim:
A bridge comprising: first and second network connections, a processor, and memory, said processor and said memory together being configured to implement plural software modules, said software modules being configured for allowing data messages to be passed between said first and second network connections, for handling said data messages as they pass between said first and second network connections and for performing processing on said data messages according to the function provided by said software modules, wherein said processing by at least one of said software modules comprises said at least one of said software modules modifying said data messages; wherein each of said software modules has associated therewith a respective priority, and wherein said bridge is configured to arrange said software modules in a sequence between said first and second network connections, such that a data message provided by a software module is received at a next software module in said sequence, according to their allocated priorities wherein said bridge is configured to monitor flow of data messages to or from a first module, to reassign a priority to said first module based on said flow of data messages, and to re-order said software modules based on said priority re-assigned to said first module.