METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DIGITAL DATA PROCESSOR INSTANTIATION

摘要

The invention provides, in one aspect, a digital data processing device includes a firewall device and a computer, both housed within the same enclosure and sharing a com mon path to the Internet (or other external network), yet, not sharing the same substantive processing logic. Thus, by way of example, the firewall device does not the computer's cen tral processing unit (CPU) to execute firewall logic. The digital data processing device can be arranged to limit connectivity and/or functionality of the computer and/or firewall device, e.g., absent authentication. Thus, for example, the computer and firewall can be coupled to the common path - e.g., a modem, network interface card or other communications port supporting access via wired (e.g., wired ethernet and coaxial), wireless (e.g., satellite, teleph ony, 802.1 1x), and/or optical (e.g., fiber) means - such that that access by the computer to the Internet (or other external network) is mediated by the firewall device.