SCIENCE

NetLogic Microsystems has announced the availability of its innovative NL10k knowledge-based processors, which are designed in the advanced 40nm process node, to further expand the IPv6 processing portfolio for next-generation switches and routers. The NL10k knowledge-based processors deliver 1.6 billion decisions per second (BDPS) of IPv6 processing while maintaining compatibility to previous generations of knowledge-based processors to allow original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to leverage existing software and ASIC investments while upgrading to IPv6.

The exponential growth in the number of connected mobile devices, services and applications for next-generation LTE deployments are driving the global migration from IPv4 to IPv6 network architectures. In order to support this migration to IPv6, as well as the increased complexity and higher throughputs of network traffic, next-generation networking equipment requires industry-leading knowledge-based processors that can perform Layers 2 - 4 network processing such as classification, security and forwarding at higher speeds while supporting a 4x increase in Internet protocol address widths.

The NL10k knowledge-based processor integrates 128 high-performance knowledge-based processing engines, and includes an enhanced Intelligent Load Balancing Engine (ILBE) to efficiently allocate multiple tasks and communicate among all the 128 knowledge-based processing engines. The knowledge-based processing engines and ILBE are tightly coupled with integrated advanced Sahasra(R) Algorithmic Engines (SAEs) to dramatically lower the power consumption of search processing. The NL10k processor also integrates an innovative Range Encoding Engine (REE), which employs advanced one-hot and fence encoding algorithms to implement range encoding that allows customers to effectively double the efficiency of performing port range inspection, an integral part of packet classification.

The industry-leading NL10k knowledge-based processor offers up to 150Gbps of I/O bandwidth and supports 256,000 IPv6 addresses or 1 million IPv4 addresses. By leveraging the advanced 40nm process node at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), NetLogic Microsystems' NL10k processor delivers best-in-class performance and low power dissipation.

"Our new NL10k processors offer our customers a seamless upgrade path for their existing ASICs and NPUs to deliver IPv6 performance in 40nm power profile," said Chris O'Reilly, vice president of marketing at NetLogic Microsystems. "The emergence of LTE and IPv6 has dramatically increased our customers' need for knowledge-based processors with greater performance and larger database capacities, all in a smaller thermal footprint. The NL10k knowledge-based processor is ideally suited to address this need."

NetLogic Microsystems is sampling two members of the NL10k knowledge-based processor family this quarter, and a third member in the first quarter of 2011.