Abstract: A system and method are provided for stacking storage drives in a network attached storage (NAS) system. The method provides a NAS stacking network including at least a first and second stackable building block (SBB), where each SBB includes a head, with an embedded processor and storage application, and a storage drive including client files. The method connects a first interface of the first SBB to a client computer device via a LAN switch, and connects a second interface of the first SBB to the first interface of the second SBB. A directory is built of client files stored in the first and second SBBs. The directory is maintained in both the first and second SBBs. In one aspect, the first SBB, acting as a primary SBB, provides access to NAS stacking network directory structure in response to an inquiry from a client computer connected to the LAN switch.

Abstract: A processor. The processor includes a first register for storing a first packed data, a decoder, and a functional unit. The decoder has a control signal input. The control signal input is for receiving a first control signal and a second control signal. The first control signal is for indicating a pack operation. The second control signal is for indicating an unpack operation. The functional unit is coupled to the decoder and the register. The functional unit is for performing the pack operation and the unpack operation using the first packed data. The processor also supports a move operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for including in a processor instructions for performing multiply-add operations on packed data. In one embodiment, a processor is coupled to a memory. The memory has stored therein a first packed data and a second packed data. The processor performs operations on data elements in said first packed data and said second packed data to generate a third packed data in response to receiving an instruction. At least two of the data elements in this third packed data storing the result of performing multiply-add operations on data elements in the first and second packed data.

Abstract: A system and method provide both inline services and in-network services for a dual-connect service box interposed between a modem and a router. The method transceives communications between a service box wide area network (WAN) port and a local area network (LAN) port of a WAN-connected broadband modem, and between a service box WAN-proxy port and a WAN port of a router. The method also selectively transceives communications between the service box WAN port and a LAN port. A service box binding module monitors messages transceived between the router and the modem to determine the service box WAN IP address, and registers at least one service box WAN IP addresses with a WAN network-connected account server. The method selectively transceives communications in response to an authentification means, which may be identifying an authorized port number in the communications, or identifying an authorized command in the communications.

Abstract: A computerized method of payment based on short, temporary, transaction ID numbers which protect the security of the payer's (customer's) financial accounts. The payee will first register a source of funds and a payer device with a unique ID (such as a mobile phone and phone number) with the invention's payment server. Then once a payee (merchant) and the payer have agreed on a financial transaction amount, the payee requests a transaction ID from the payment server for that amount. The payment server sends the payee a transaction ID, which the payee then communicates to the payer. The payer in turn relays this transaction ID to the server, which validates the transaction using the payer device. The server then releases funds to the payee. The server can preserve all records for auditing purposes, but security is enhanced because the merchant never gets direct access to the customer's financial account information.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an instruction decoder, first and second source registers and a circuit coupled to the decoder to receive packed data from the source registers and to unpack the packed data responsive to an unpack instruction received by the decoder. A first packed data element and a third packed data element are received from the first source register. A second packed data element and a fourth packed data element are received from the second source register. The circuit copies the packed data elements into a destination register resulting with the second packed data element adjacent to the first packed data element, the third packed data element adjacent to the second packed data element, and the fourth packed data element adjacent to the third packed data element.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an instruction decoder, first and second source registers and a circuit coupled to the decoder to receive packed data from the source registers and to unpack the packed data responsive to an unpack instruction received by the decoder. A first packed data element and a third packed data element are received from the first source register. A second packed data element and a fourth packed data element are received from the second source register. The circuit copies the packed data elements into a destination register resulting with the second packed data element adjacent to the first packed data element, the third packed data element adjacent to the second packed data element, and the fourth packed data element adjacent to the third packed data element.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an instruction decoder, first and second source registers and a circuit coupled to the decoder to receive packed data from the source registers and to unpack the packed data responsive to an unpack instruction received by the decoder. A first packed data element and a third packed data element are received from the first source register. A second packed data element and a fourth packed data element are received from the second source register. The circuit copies the packed data elements into a destination register resulting with the second packed data element adjacent to the first packed data element, the third packed data element adjacent to the second packed data element, and the fourth packed data element adjacent to the third packed data element.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an instruction decoder, first and second source registers and a circuit coupled to the decoder to receive packed data from the source registers and to unpack the packed data responsive to an unpack instruction received by the decoder. A first packed data element and a third packed data element are received from the first source register. A second packed data element and a fourth packed data element are received from the second source register. The circuit copies the packed data elements into a destination register resulting with the second packed data element adjacent to the first packed data element, the third packed data element adjacent to the second packed data element, and the fourth packed data element adjacent to the third packed data element.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an instruction decoder, first and second source registers and a circuit coupled to the decoder to receive packed data from the source registers and to unpack the packed data responsive to an unpack instruction received by the decoder. A first packed data element and a third packed data element are received from the first source register. A second packed data element and a fourth packed data element are received from the second source register. The circuit copies the packed data elements into a destination register resulting with the second packed data element adjacent to the first packed data element, the third packed data element adjacent to the second packed data element, and the fourth packed data element adjacent to the third packed data element.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an instruction decoder, first and second source registers and a circuit coupled to the decoder to receive packed data from the source registers and to unpack the packed data responsive to an unpack instruction received by the decoder. A first packed data element and a third packed data element are received from the first source register. A second packed data element and a fourth packed data element are received from the second source register. The circuit copies the packed data elements into a destination register resulting with the second packed data element adjacent to the first packed data element, the third packed data element adjacent to the second packed data element, and the fourth packed data element adjacent to the third packed data element.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an instruction decoder, first and second source registers and a circuit coupled to the decoder to receive packed data from the source registers and to unpack the packed data responsive to an unpack instruction received by the decoder. A first packed data element and a third packed data element are received from the first source register. A second packed data element and a fourth packed data element are received from the second source register. The circuit copies the packed data elements into a destination register resulting with the second packed data element adjacent to the first packed data element, the third packed data element adjacent to the second packed data element, and the fourth packed data element adjacent to the third packed data element.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an instruction decoder, first and second source registers and a circuit coupled to the decoder to receive packed data from the source registers and to unpack the packed data responsive to an unpack instruction received by the decoder. A first packed data element and a third packed data element are received from the first source register. A second packed data element and a fourth packed data element are received from the second source register. The circuit copies the packed data elements into a destination register resulting with the second packed data element adjacent to the first packed data element, the third packed data element adjacent to the second packed data element, and the fourth packed data element adjacent to the third packed data element.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an instruction decoder, first and second source registers and a circuit coupled to the decoder to receive packed data from the source registers and to unpack the packed data responsive to an unpack instruction received by the decoder. A first packed data element and a third packed data element are received from the first source register. A second packed data element and a fourth packed data element are received from the second source register. The circuit copies the packed data elements into a destination register resulting with the second packed data element adjacent to the first packed data element, the third packed data element adjacent to the second packed data element, and the fourth packed data element adjacent to the third packed data element.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an instruction decoder, first and second source registers and a circuit coupled to the decoder to receive packed data from the source registers and to unpack the packed data responsive to an unpack instruction received by the decoder. A first packed data element and a third packed data element are received from the first source register. A second packed data element and a fourth packed data element are received from the second source register. The circuit copies the packed data elements into a destination register resulting with the second packed data element adjacent to the first packed data element, the third packed data element adjacent to the second packed data element, and the fourth packed data element adjacent to the third packed data element.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an instruction decoder, first and second source registers and a circuit coupled to the decoder to receive packed data from the source registers and to unpack the packed data responsive to an unpack instruction received by the decoder. A first packed data element and a third packed data element are received from the first source register. A second packed data element and a fourth packed data element are received from the second source register. The circuit copies the packed data elements into a destination register resulting with the second packed data element adjacent to the first packed data element, the third packed data element adjacent to the second packed data element, and the fourth packed data element adjacent to the third packed data element.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for including in a processor instructions for performing multiply-add operations on packed data. In one embodiment, a processor is coupled to a memory. The memory has stored therein a first packed data and a second packed data. The processor performs operations on data elements in said first packed data and said second packed data to generate a third packed data in response to receiving an instruction. At least two of the data elements in this third packed data storing the result of performing multiply-add operations on data elements in the first and second packed data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for including in a processor instructions for performing multiply-add operations on packed data. In one embodiment, a processor is coupled to a memory. The memory has stored therein a first packed data and a second packed data. The processor performs operations on data elements in said first packed data and said second packed data to generate a third packed data in response to receiving an instruction. At least two of the data elements in this third packed data storing the result of performing multiply-add operations on data elements in the first and second packed data.

Abstract: A lookup is performed using multiple levels of compressed stride tables in a multi-bit Trie structure. An input lookup key is divided into several strides including a current stride of S bits. A valid entry in a current stride table is located by compressing the S bits to form a compressed index of D bits into the current stride table. A compression function logically combines the S bits to generate the D compressed index bits. An entry in a prior-level table points to the current stride table and has a field indicating which compression function and mask to use. Compression functions can include XOR, shifts, rotates, and multi-bit averaging. Rather than store all 2S entries, the current stride table is compressed to store only 2D entries. Ideally, the number of valid entries in the current stride table is between 2D?1 and 2D for maximum compression. Storage requirements are reduced.

Abstract: A processor capable of secure execution. The processor contains an execution unit and secure partition logic that secures a partition in memory. The processor also contains cryptographic logic coupled to the execution unit that encrypts and decrypts secure data and code.