Force10 Networks, a pioneer in building and securing reliable networks, announced that it has been awarded a patent for its innovations in system-level packet processing that guarantee predictable performance regardless of traffic conditions. The advances protected by Force10s 20th patent increase processing productivity with a more efficient packet handling scheme that is crucial to delivering the performance and reliability enterprise networks require. The latest patent protects a new technique that increases packet processing efficiency and provides more predictable performance. The Force10 advance is an improvement over traditional run and stop processes that can delay data processing and lower system-level performance, particularly when traffic is unpredictable. In a run and stop scheme, a process with no data packets to handle is idle while waiting for the next packet to be delivered to a single FIFO queue. With the use of first-in, first-out (FIFO) queues between the multiple processing stages, Force10 accelerates data transmissions between network devices while reducing overall latency between commands that receive and send data. This advanced technique allows each processing stage to operate independently, rather than in synch with other processes, increasing packet processing speed and eliminating the potential for packet loss due to backlogs. This patent, as well as 19 others that protect key innovations in system design and packet processing, underpin the Force10 Reliable Networking product portfolio. Collectively, these advances provide the reliability, network control and scalability organizations need to build a high performance network that meets todays demands and can adapt to future requirements.