Riivolution supports modular filesystems in such a way that it is not necessarily limited to using SD cards and USB devices. Using a specially-formatted XML file, Riivolution will use the Wii's wifi to connect to a server and use it like any other filesystem it supports. This means that the patches are streamed over the internet, and instantly up-to-date. It can also be used on a personal level, to allow you to edit files without even restarting the game.
Check out the list of RiiFS servers for a plug-and-play way to play game hacks.
A special element in the XML format can be used to direct Riivolution to connect to a server, which means that a SD or USB drive is required to initiate the connection. The element must be contained inside the wiidisc element in a normal Patch XML, and has the following structure:
<network protocol="riifs" address="192.168.1.1" port="1137" />