|
Internet
Machines delivers software development kit, and protocol-independent
network processors and switch fabrics
Internet Machines Corp., a fabless semiconductor company developing
a family of protocol-independent network processors and switch fabrics,
announced the availability of its software development kit (SDK)
for developers of OC-192 and OC-768 optical Internet infrastructure
systems.
The SDK is a suite of software development tools for Internet Machines'
network processor that allows system developers to quickly evaluate
the processor and customize their product designs early in the development
cycle, greatly reducing time to market.
Internet Machines' integrated development platform gives system
designers access to a complete set of tools to rapidly evaluate
and develop differentiated features for their products, run simulations,
analyze performance, and debug their code for optimization on Internet
Machines' network processor. With this capability, system developers
are able to accelerate the introduction of new features in weeks
rather than years.
The key features of the SDK include:
- User-friendly
GUI provides a single, straightforward interface to the complete
range of tools needed to develop, simulate, debug and optimize
application code designs. A command line interface (CLI) is also
available for more advanced programming.
- Software-based
emulation allows rapid feature development at a much earlier point
in the system development cycle.
- Traffic
generation and performance analysis tools allow designers to test
their designs with simulated real-world traffic patterns, and
evaluate how their designs will perform under stress.
- An application
library includes pre-coded modules for critical functions common
in network switching equipment and sample reference code for data
fast path applications.
Internet Machines
also announced its strategy for a new generation of highly integrated,
protocol-independent network processors and switch fabrics for developers
of optical core routers and switches, metro core and aggregation
systems, and storage area network systems.
Internet Machines is developing complete solutions that are designed
to shorten system vendors' time to market, while offering software
programmability for customization. Until now, system designers have
had to develop application-specific integrated circuits, or ASICs,
for each product, a lengthy and manpower-intensive development cycle.
Target customers for Internet Machines' solutions build core routers
and switches, metro core and aggregation systems, data center and
storage area network (SAN) systems, and products in other emerging
segments. To support the trend for system vendors to seek commercially
available silicon solutions for high-speed, high-performance equipment,
Internet Machines' network processor and switch fabric solutions
will support speeds of OC-192 and OC-768, and provide developers
with the following features and benefits:
- A highly
integrated system solution: Internet Machines' solution integrates
network processing and switching functions into fewer chips. Functions
such as packet processing, traffic management for Quality of Service
(QoS), buffer management, policy management and enforcement, serializer/deserializer
(SERDES), and switching functions are integrated, requiring less
design time and less board space, and greatly improving time to
market. This reduction in components increases system reliability
and reduces the amount of heat dissipation and power required.
Integration also allows higher-density systems to be built with
a smaller footprint, reducing deployment costs.
- Concurrent
protocol-independent, multiservice support: Support for concurrent
multiple protocols and voice and data services by both network
processor and switch fabric increases system flexibility and breadth
of application, and allows designers to incorporate a broader
feature set.
- Wire-speed
software programmable: All packet processing and forwarding is
done at wire speed by software, including minimum packet sizes,
providing an ideal foundation for high-performance product differentiation.
Internet Machines' network processors and switch fabrics deliver
the fundamental requirements of high-speed infrastructure systems,
and with straightforward programming, can be customized to meet
specific design needs. System features can be upgraded via software
within weeks, eliminating the need for forklift upgrades, and
extending the system's life cycle. Wire-speed processing ensures
maximum throughput without compromising features.
The combination
of extensive software programmability with Internet Machines' off-the-shelf
network processor and switch fabric solutions results in systems
with feature differentiation that can be ready for market in six
to 12 months, compared to the traditional 24- to 36-month cycles
required for systems based on ASICs.
In order to meet the demands for Internet Machines' integration
and performance, the company is designing its chips using Texas
Instruments' most advanced 0.13 micron CMOS semiconductor process
technology.
Internet Machines' first customer deliverable is its software development
kit, or SDK, which is currently shipping to customers for evaluation.
The company's network processor and switch fabric solutions will
be introduced later this year.
|
