Analytical Bounds on the Threads in IXP1200 Network Processor

Increasing link speeds have placed enormous burden on the processing requirements and the processors are expected to carry out a variety of tasks. Network Processors (NP) [1] [2] is the blanket name given to the processors, which are traded for flexibility and performance. Network Processors are offered by a number of vendors; to take the main burden of processing requirement of network related operations from the conventional processors. The Network Processors cover a spectrum of design tradeoff, that span in between the custom ASIC and the generalpurpose processors. IXP1200 (Intel’s network processor) is one among them. This paper focuses on deriving the analytical bounds on the optimum number of threads in IXP1200 at 1Gbps wire speed.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2003
• Where: DSD
• Authors: S. T. G. S. Ramakrishna, H. S. Jamadagni
• Keywords: Conventional Processors, DSD 2003, Hardware, Network Processor, Processing Requirement