Abstract: The disclosed system may include a central processing unit (CPU) interface board including a first standard port and a second standard port, a first peripheral board including a first augmented interface, the first augmented interface including first standard interface control signals and first additional interface control signals based on a first standard communication protocol, and a second peripheral board including a second augmented interface, the second augmented interface including second standard interface control signals and second additional interface control signals, the first standard interface control signals being connected to the first standard port, the second standard interface control signals being connected to the second standard port, and at least one of the first additional interface control signals being connected to a respective at least one of the second additional interface control signals. Various other methods, systems, and apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of processing data. The method includes receiving data from a network link; replicating said data no board a network analyser card to produce at least two editions of the received data; and writing said editions of the received data to an area of memory in a host that is directly accessible by a host application. The invention also relates to a network analyser card for connection to a host and a network, the card including a receiver for receiving plural data frames from a network link; data replication means for generating at least two replica editions of the received data frames; and a descriptor adder configured and arranged to add a descriptor to substantially each of the data frames of each of the at least two replica editions of the received data frames, the descriptor including data about the data frame to which it is attached for use in processing of the data frame.

Abstract: Connection apparatus for a network tester or analyser comprises at least two network connection devices for connecting the apparatus to a network and at least two solid state switches. Each connection device is constructed and arranged to output serial electrical signals corresponding to signals received from a network to which the connection is in use connected. Each solid state switch is constructed and arranged to receive serial electrical signals output by a respective one of the network connection devices and to output a corresponding serial electrical signal. Each solid state switch is controllable such that electrical signals corresponding to signals received from the network can selectively be output by the solid state switch and received at the other or another of the solid state switches for return to the network by said other or another of the solid state switches.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for connecting at least a first Fibre Channel device to at least a second Fibre Channel device. The apparatus includes ports, buffers and bypass buffers that are arranged so that the second Fibre Channel device can operate at a physical link rate that is higher than the physical link rate of the first Fibre Channel device regardless of whether or not the first Fibre Channel device is sending data words to the second Fibre Channel device and regardless of whether or not the second Fibre Channel device is sending data words to the first Fibre Channel device.