INTERCONNECT MODULE FOR SMART I/O

An interconnect module (ICM) having at least two internal data paths is provided. The ICM determines if a connected network interface card (NIC) supports a division of work between the NIC and the ICM. NICs may be standard NICs, advanced NICs (ANICs), or smart NICs (SNICs). The ICM may perform a different amount of processing for network packets received from different devices based on the division of work previously identified. Some NICs may preprocess network packets with respect to switching and routing processing to allow the ICM to bypass that functionality for those packets. Packets received from devices not providing a division of work receive full processing including switching and routing processing. Devices may be grouped to either a switching and routing group or a virtual bypass group such that data received from devices associated with the virtual bypass group may bypass selected processing typically performed by the ICM.