Alacritech's patented, standards-compliant SLIC (session-layer interface card) Technology addresses the network processing bottleneck by delivering a unique storage server and system accelerator that extends the functionality of a traditional network interface, representing a new product category of integrated storage network interface cards (IS-NICs). Accelerators using SLIC Technology remove the burden of network (primarily TCP/IP) and iSCSI protocol processing from the host processor. SLIC Technology optimizes the performance of NAS appliances, iSCSI storage devices and servers. SLIC Technology eliminates the burden of network protocol processing on the main processor and dramatically reduces bottlenecks in the system. By offloading network processing, SLIC Technology frees the system processor for application processing while boosting network performance and increasing the maximum throughput of the system. The accelerator is engineered to resolve system performance bottlenecks