Method and apparatus to selectively extend an embedded microprocessor bus through a different external bus

An apparatus comprising:

• means for communicatively coupling an embedded microprocessor with an embedded component internal to an integrated circuit device through a first high speed serial bus;
• means for communicatively coupling the embedded component with an external interface of the integrated circuit device through a second high speed serial bus;
• and
• means for selectively bypassing the embedded component and extending the first high speed serial bus to function at the external interface over a physical layer of the second bus.

A system comprising:

• a network controller;
• a memory controller;
• and
• a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor and the memory controller are embedded in an integrated circuit device comprising:
• a first high speed serializer/deserializer (SERDES) bus internal to the integrated circuit device to couple the embedded microprocessor with the embedded memory controller;
• a second high speed SERDES bus different from the first bus to couple the embedded memory controller with an external interface of the integrated circuit device;
• and
• extension circuitry to selectively bypass the embedded memory controller and extend the first bus to function at the external interface over a physical layer of the second bus.