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Cryptographic accelerator
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<p>In <a href="/facts/Computing/Kghtm9fX">computing</a>, a cryptographic accelerator is a <a href="/facts/Co-processor/WsVXzAGo">co-processor</a> designed specifically to perform computationally intensive <a href="/facts/Cryptographic/e94PEVau">cryptographic</a> operations, doing so far more efficiently than the general-purpose <a href="/facts/CPU/Jxp1bqMV">CPU</a>. Because many <a href="/facts/Server_(computing)/dEaYFD7r">servers</a>' system loads consist mostly of cryptographic operations, this can greatly increase performance. </p><p>Intel's <a href="/facts/AES-NI/NomFEB4w">AES-NI</a> is by far the most common cryptographic accelerator in commodity hardware. <a href="/facts/VIA_PadLock/g6REHNFE">VIA PadLock</a> is another recent example. </p>