An intelligent network interface card

Considers the design of an Intelligent Network Interface Card. The designers believed that a system designer would like to have a network interface card (NIC) which has a specified functionality stable over the lifetime of the system, even though the NICs will periodically be replaced. To achieve this goal, they provide a NIC design that uses programmable elements. With the programmable elements, the NIC can provide the functionality that the system designer wants over the system's lifetime. Then, as the NIC is changed over the system's lifetime (e.g., using a different network technology), the new NIC can still provide the same functionality as the original NIC-thus allowing the system designer take advantage of new network technologies.