Network Processors: New Horizon

This chapter presents the latest research on network processor architectures, hardware, modeling, software environments, and application development. While considerable progress has been made in this field of study, it is far from mature. New application areas, such as network security and TCP offload, are challenging the basic architecture of current network processors. Continued opportunity exists for enhancing tools, environments, and techniques for programming and performance estimation of these devices. In the few short years that the field has existed, it has already seen the application domain for network processors move far beyond traditional router line-card applications. The rapid convergence of networking and computing is likely to challenge the fundamental existence of stand-alone, general-purpose network processors. It is quite likely that concepts and techniques used in today's network processors will find their way into future general purpose CPUs, such as those found in workstations and servers. As the convergence in LAN, storage, cluster, and server interconnects continues, it is also likely that the concepts and techniques used in today's network processors will find their way into deeply embedded application-specific devices, such as network adaptors, switches, and peripherals. Networking speeds will continue to grow and raw performance will continue to be an important component of network processor design.