1. A host I/O adapter comprising: a master I/O processor comprising: a general purpose processor; a host bus interface coupled to said general purpose processor for coupling said master I/O processor to a host PC I/O interface bus; a first special purpose processor for coupling said master I/O processor to a peripheral I/O bus; and a slave interface port for coupling said master I/O processor to a slave I/O processor; a slave I/O processor coupled to said master I/O processor, said slave I/O processor comprising: a master interface port for coupling said slave I/O processor to said slave interface port of said master I/O processor; and a second special purpose processor for coupling said slave I/O processor to a peripheral I/O bus, wherein said slave I/O processor is not directly coupled to a host PC I/O interface bus.