Server cluster interconnection using a network processor

A server farm formed by a plurality of computer systems (100A, 100B, 100C, 100D) joined together by a network processor (10) which transfers data exchanged with an external network supported by the server farm at a data rate substantially the same as the data flow rate of the network. The network processor (10) has a plurality of interface processors, instruction memory storing instructions accessible to the interface processors, data memory storing data passing through said network processor (10) to and from each of the coupled computer systems (100A, 100b, 100C, 100D) accessible to the interface processors, and a plurality of input/output ports. One of the input/output ports exchanges data passing through the network processor (10) with an external network under the direction of the interface processors. Others of the input/output ports exchange data passing through the network processor (10) with the coupled computer systems. The network processor (10) cooperates with the coupled computer systems in directing the exchange of data between said input/output ports and the flow of data through said data memory to and from said coupled computer systems in response to execution by the interface processors of instructions loaded into the instruction memory.