Network application apparatus

A network apparatus, comprising,

• at least one flow processor module, having,
• at least one processor, and
• at least one memory to store applications f or execution by the at least one processor, and,
• a first network processor module having at least one processor, at least one interface to receive data from and transmit data to the network, and instructions to cause the at least one processor to recognize a data request for processing by the applications in the flow processor module memories, and to forward the data request to a flow processor module capable of processing the data according to the data request, and,
• a first control processor module in communication with the first network processor module and the flow processor modules, and having,
• at least one processor, and,
• instructions for causing the at least one processor to manage the applications in the flow processor module memories.

A method for distributing applications in a network, comprising,

• receiving data from the network at a network device,
• identifying at least one application to apply to the data,
• processing the data according to the identified applications, and,
• forwarding the processed data from the network device.

A method for managing applications on a network apparatus, comprising,

• providing at least one flow processor module having at least one processor and at least one memory for storing applications,
• providing at least one network processor module connected to the flow processor module, having at least one processor and instructions for,
• recognizing a data request for processing by the applications on the flow processor modules, and,
• transferring data requests to flow processor modules capable of processing the data request, and,
• connecting a control processor module to the flow processor module and the network processor, the control processor module in communication with the flow processor module and the network processor module, and having at least one processor and instructions for causing the processor to perform at least one of,
• deleting applications from the flow processor modules, and,
• storing applications to the flow processor modules.