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