下一代网络的核心技术——网络处理器

网络应用的飞速发展和对线速的智能化处理的需求导致了网络处理器的出现。可编程的网络处理器不但提供了以线速处理数据包的高性能的硬件功能,同时还具备极大的系统灵活性。虽然当前的网络处理器的结构设计各不相同,随着网络技术的发展,网络处理器必将成为下一代网络的核心技术。结合当前的网络发展趋势,从现有的网络处理器的结构分析入手,论述了满足下一代网络应用需求的网络处理器应该具有的结构特点。

Key Technology of Next Generation Network:Network Processor

The rapid development of network application and the demand for intelligent processing at wire speed have led to the creation of network processors. Programmable network processors provide system flexibility while delivering the high-performance hardware functions required to process packets at wire speed. With the development of network technology, network processors shall be the key technology of next generation network, though they differ greatly in their architectural design.This paper gives an analysis of current network processor's architecture, discuss the key element of network processor's architecture design to meet the requirement of next generation network according to the trend of the network development.