Next Generation Network Processors

Networking hardware manufacturers face the dual demands of supporting ever increasing bandwidth requirements, while also delivering new features, such as the ability to implement Quality of Service (QoS) and Service Level Agreement (SLA) monitoring. As a result, hardware vendors are increasingly in need of a network processor solution that allows them to meet these demands while allowing them to shorten time-to-market cycles and thus gain a competitive advantage. This paper will provide an overview of how network processor technology has evolved and why current processor technology is insufficient to meet future demands. Agere's Wicked Smart approach will be shown to offer vendors new hope for delivering a new class of product that combines the performance benefits of ASICs with the ease of configuration of software-based devices. THE HISTORY OF NETWORK PROCESSORS Software-Based Routers Up until the late 1990's, most network routers were based on an architecture similar to a...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2001
• Where: VLSID
• Authors: Deepak Kataria
• Keywords: Basic Processor Architecture, Computer Architecture, Network Processor Technology, Processor Received Instructions, VLSID 2001