Auxiliary engine for hardware virtualization

A method for processing data, the method comprising:

• receiving input data by a symmetrical processing engine of two or more symmetrical processing engines coupled to an auxiliary processing engine;
• receiving an indication to process the input data using a module of the auxiliary processing engine;
• transmitting output data to the auxiliary processing engine;
• receiving processed data from the auxiliary processing engine;
• further processing the processed data in one or more portions of a pipeline of modules of the symmetrical processing engine to generate further processed data;
• and
• outputting the further processed data.

An apparatus for processing data, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving input data by a symmetrical processing engine of two or more symmetrical processing engines coupled to an auxiliary processing engine;
• means for receiving an indication to process the input data using a module of the auxiliary processing engine;
• means for transmitting output data to the auxiliary processing engine;
• means for receiving processed data from the auxiliary processing engine;
• means for further processing the processed data in one or more portions of a pipeline of modules of the symmetrical processing engine;
• and
• means for outputting the further processed processed data.