Data forwarding engine

A distributed multi-processor out-of-order system includes multiple processors, an arbiter, a data dispatcher, a memory controller, a storage unit, multiple memory access requests issued by the multiple processors, and multiple data units that provide the results of the multiple memory access requests. Each of the multiple memory access requests includes a tag that identifies the priority of the processor that issued the memory access request, a processor identification number that identifies the processor that issued the request, and a processor access sequence number that identifies the order that the particular one of the processors issued the request. Each of the data units also includes a tag that specifics the processor identification number, the processor access sequence number, and a data sequence number that identifies the order of the data units satisfying the corresponding one of the memory requests. Using the tags, a distributed arbiter and data dispatcher can execute the requests out-of-order, handle simultaneous memory requests, order the memory requests based on, for example, the priority, return the data units to the processor that requested it, and reassemble the data units.