Intel Network Infrastructure Processors

White Paper

Intel® Network Infrastructure ProcessorsExtending Intelligence in the Network

Intel inCommunications

April 2003

ContentsIntroduction 1

The Trend to Distributed Processing 1

Intel® Network Infrastructure Processors 2

Intel® Internet Exchange Architecture(Intel® IXA) Network Processors 3

Intel® IXP2XXX Network Processors 3

Intel® IXP4XX Network Processors 3

Intelligent Packet Processing at Wire Speed 4

Intel® IXC1100 Control Plane Processors 4Control Plane Processing on the Line Card 5

Advantages of Intel® XScale™ Technology 5

Software and Tools 6

Intel® Architecture Processors for Communications 6 Applications and Services Processing 6

Content Processing 7

Management and System Control Processing 7

Development Tools and Software 8

Networked Storage: Intel® I/O Processors and Intel® Architecture 8

NAS and SAN 9

Complementary Layer 1 and Layer 2 Silicon 10Ethernet Solutions 10

Layer 1 and Layer 2 Devices 10

Optoelectronic Silicon and Optical Transceivers 10

Intel® Communications Software Services 10

Intel® Communications Alliance 11Software 12

Tools 12

Focusing on Total Solutions 12

Summary 13

Intel’s line of network infrastructure processors, led

by Intel® Internet Exchange Architecture (Intel® IXA)

network processors and Intel® Architecture proces-

sors for communications, is continuing to expand,

making it easier for equipment manufacturers to

distribute high-performance processing where and

when it is needed in today’s modular networks.

Intel’s advanced network infrastructure processor

families provide the performance, functionality,

development tools, and software required to extend

intelligence in the network, enabling more flexible,

cost-effective designs, faster time-to-market and

richer services.

Introduction

Business conditions in the communications industryhave made revenue generation the number onepriority. As service providers place increasingemphasis on the deployment of complex content-based services in order to create new sources ofrevenue, equipment manufacturers must meet anew set of challenges. With today’s demandingmarket conditions, the ability to deliver solutions onfast time-to-market development cycles has neverbeen more crucial. New generations of communi-cations and networking equipment must deliverthe processing performance needed to handle thegrowing menu of media-rich network services atever-faster wire speeds. To be competitive, commu-nications equipment must be designed on modularand flexible hardware platforms that can help serviceproviders minimize their operating costs and buildreturn-on-investment.

The Trend to Distributed Processing

Faster line speeds, increased protocol complexity,and the need for more processing per-packet aredriving the industry trend to distributed processing,or the addition of processing intelligence to network-ing platforms in specialized blades and in line cards“closer to the wire.” Intel® network infrastructureprocessors are helping to extend standards-basedhigh-performance processing into four key areasof the platform:

■ On the line card—The line card is where line termination and I/O processing occur. It has seenrapid increases in processing performance, including the addition of control plane processingto handle the management of policies for execu-tion in the data plane. Processing of connectionmanagement, route management, signaling andexception-handling is increasing on the line cardas a supplement to system management and control blades. Network processors share space on the line card with control plane processors and provide flexible implementation of richnetworking services at line rate. The line card canalso feature a digital signal processor to supportmulti-channel IP-based services, including voice.

■ On the control blade—The system’s control blade, also known as the “shelf controller,” pro-vides centralized management of rack and system resources, including resource allocation,diagnostics, and fault management. The controlblade also handles control plane functions not distributed to the line cards. Dual-redundant control blades are often implemented to ensurehigh availability in carrier-class equipment.

■ On the applications and services blade—Appliance capabilities and processing of high-level network services are being added to bladesin rack-mounted equipment as an alternative todedicated servers. The applications and servicesblade supports security applications and the management of policy-based high-value servicesdelivered over the network, such as accounting/billing and policy tracking.

■ On the content processing blade—A separate content processing blade may be required to handle content processing, or intensive packet processing that is based on inspection of the packet payload, rather than just the header. Examples of content processingapplication areas include intrusion detection, service leveling, and voice processing enabled by a digital signal processor.

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White Paper Intel® Network Infrastructure Processors

White Paper

Intel network infrastructure processors also addressthe needs of cost-sensitive network endpointsystems and network appliances where all compo-nents may be included on a single card. For thesesystem-on-a-card solutions, increased processingintelligence is delivered by the single processorthrough increased integration of high-performancetechnologies that have been optimized for specificapplications. Representative applications includewireless access points, residential gateways, andVPN appliances.

Intel® Network Infrastructure Processors

Intel now provides an extended family of networkinfrastructure processors that meets the increasingprocessing demands created by faster line speeds,the deeper packet inspection requirements ofcontent-based services and the need to supportmultiple protocols and evolving industry standards.

■ Now in their second generation, Intel IXA network processors provide industry-leading programmability and fast packet processing to meet the specialized requirements of communi-cations equipment, ranging from the customer premises (CPE) to access, edge and the core ofthe network.

■ Intel® IXC1100 Control Plane Processors are thefirst control plane processors with Intel® XScale™

technology. These high-performance, low-powerprocessors extend the processing functionality provided by Intel IXA network processors on theline card and are designed to meet the additionalcontrol plane processing requirements of wirelessinfrastructure equipment, multi-service switches, Voice over Packet (VoP) media gateways, and other communications and networking products.

■ With industry-leading processing performance, extended life cycle support, and the reduced power consumption of the Intel® Pentium® M processor for bladed form factors, Intel Architecture processors meet the growing demand for processing density, software reuse and scalability for compute-intensive control tasks, applications, and services.

Intel’s growing portfolio of network infrastructureprocessors is complemented by other siliconbuilding blocks, including high-throughput I/Oprocessors for storage applications and a compre-hensive range of physical layer devices that enableflexible network connectivity. For fast time-to-revenue, Intel network infrastructure processors arealso supported by development platforms, referencedesigns, tool chains, software, complementarysilicon, and services from Intel and its third-partycommunications developer programs.

2


Networking Platform Applications

and Services

Blades

Management

and System

Control Blades

Content

Processing

Blades

LineC

ardsThe Trend to Distributed Processing

3


Intel ®LXT6155STM-1 Ser/DesIntel ®

LXT6155STM-1 Ser/Des Intel ®IXF3503STM-1

Mapper/Framer

Intel ®IXF3502

1024 HDLCController

Intel ®IXF3502

1024 HDLCController

Intel ®21555PCI Bridge

10/100EthernetPorts

Intel ®IXF3503STM-1

Mapper/FramerIntel ®IX

F3208

Octal Framer

FPGA

Intel ®IXC1100ControlPlaneProcessor

Intel ®IXP2400

Network

Processor DRAMSD

RAMFlash

SDRAMFlash

Intel ®IXF3208

Octal Framer

Intel ®LXT3108

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LXT3108Octal LIU 3

x

3x

2x STM-1

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PCI B

us

OSIF

.

.

.

.

.

Closer Look: Network Processing in Wireless Networks

Closer Look:Network Processing in WirelessNetworks

The Intel® IXP2400 isideally suited to theinfrastructure require-ments of next-generation wireless networks. The fully programmable, highlyscalable architecture of Intel’s networkprocessors provides a flexible platform tosupport migration tohigher bandwidths and IP-centric 3Genvironments.

For example, customersare using Intel networkprocessors to build line cards for RadioNetwork Controllers(RNCs). Each RNC collects radio signalsfrom user aggregationsites, separating voiceand data streams forsubsequent transmis-sion to circuit- andpacket-switched net-works. The IXP2400provides sufficientheadroom for packet/cell classification andforwarding at OC-12/1Gbps, as well as trafficshaping and Quality ofService. In addition, thestandards-based mediainterfaces of the IXP2400ensure easy integrationwith ATM and GigabitEthernet networks.

The trend to distributed processing is underwayacross the spectrum of communications applica-tions, as the industry seeks more flexible designsolutions by adding new control and servicesprocessing functionality to line cards and blades.Intel network infrastructure processor families enableequipment manufacturers to extend intelligence inthe network to support the delivery of a richer menuof revenue-generating services.

Intel® Internet ExchangeArchitecture (Intel® IXA)Network Processors

The demand for new services and lower costsis driving the trend toward distributed process-ing, which in turn creates a demand for higherperformance, lower power, and more scalable processing solutions. Intel network infrastructureprocessors provide compelling processing solutionsfor communications systems, from cost-sensitivenetwork endpoints to those requiring high-performance, content-based processing withintegrated security functionality.

Intel® IXP4XX and Intel® IXP2XXX network proces-sors are specifically designed to meet a range ofpacket handling requirements, from customerpremises equipment (CPE) to access, edge andnetwork core applications. These processors

combine advanced multiprocessing features, thehigh performance and low power consumptionof Intel XScale technology and an easy-to-useprogramming framework that enables flexible imple-mentation of rich networking services at line ratesup to OC-192/10 Gbps.

Intel® IXP2XXX Network ProcessorsThe Intel IXP2XXX network processor product lineintegrates a high-performance parallel processingdesign on a single chip for processing complexalgorithms, deep packet inspection, traffic manage-ment, and forwarding at wire speed. Its store-and-forward architecture combines a high-performanceIntel XScale core with multiple 32-bit independentmultithreaded microengines.

Intel has expanded the IXP2XXX product linewith the Intel® IXP2850 network processor, whichadds integrated cryptography engines that providehardware acceleration of DES, 3DES, AES andSHA-1 algorithms to deliver IPSec encryption anddecryption capability at up to 10 Gbps.

Intel® IXP4XX Network ProcessorsThe scalable Intel IXP4XX product line providesdevelopers with a range of speeds, interfaces andlevels of integration to meet the needs of high-performance, cost-effective applications. With theirsupport for multiple WAN and LAN technologies,

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these processors provide the benefits of a commonarchitecture with the performance headroom tosupport rich software services.

The Intel IXP4XX product line addresses a variety ofwired and wireless applications for the home, smalloffice/home office (SOHO) and small-to-mediumenterprise (SME). The IXP422 network processormeets the requirements for residential gateways,wireless access points and SME routers andswitches, including the provision of crypto-enabledsecurity. The IXP421 network processor enablesdata plus Voice over IP (VoIP) applications, whilethe IXP420 network processor is optimized forresidential broadband access applications. TheIXP425, with the highest level of integration in theproduct line, meets the requirements for high-endresidential gateways, wireless access points andsecurity devices, as well as mini-DSLAMs and xDSLline cards.

Intelligent Packet Processing at Wire SpeedAs network technologies and standards continueto evolve, the real value of network processortechnology is its ability to provide intelligent packetprocessing at wire speed. As an example of the

demands placed on a network processor, considerthat at OC-192/10 Gbps, the available time intervalfor deep packet inspection at wire speed is just35 nanoseconds. The network processor mustperform the necessary Layer 3 through Layer 7processing on incoming cells/packets and thentransmit them in the correct sequence and at therequired rate without loss. The multiprocessingsubsystem of Intel’s second-generation networkprocessors provides aggregate processing capacityto handle applications that traditionally requiredhigh-speed ASICs, even at 10-Gbps wire speeds.This powerful and flexible network processor designwill enable OEMs to easily scale performance andadd features.

Intel® IXC1100 Control Plane Processors

With the Intel IXC1100 control plane processor,Intel is helping to meet the challenge of distributedcontrol plane processing with industry-leadingprocessor technology complemented by a compre-hensive development platform with software andtools. The Intel IXC1100 control plane processor is

4


Intel ® IXP422Network

Processor

Intel ® LXT972

Ethernet PHY

Intel ® StrataFlash ®

Technology

Mini-P

CICard

802.11bWirelessC

hipsetMini-P

CICard

802.11aWirelessC

hipset

SDRAM

PoE

USB

SDRAM I/FP

CI32@66 MHz

Expansion I/F

MII-IMII-0

Closer Look: Wireless Access Point

Closer Look:Wireless Access Point

The wireless LAN marketsegment is growing rapidly, and as the tech-nology matures, usersplace greater importanceon wire-speed perform-ance. The Intel® IXP422network processor isbeing chosen for a variety of wirelessaccess point designs.As 802.11a/b/gbecomes the predomi-nant method of wirelessLAN connectivity, existingaccess point designsare reaching their per-formance limits. Theintegration of the IntelXScale core and pro-grammed network processing engineshelps meet theseincreasing bandwidthrequirements, whileintegrated interfacesincluding PCI, Ethernetand USB enables flexibledesigns with differenti-ating features. Theprovision of a dedicatedhardware accelerationengine for cryptographyand authentication satisfies the growingdemand for securityand VPN capabilities.Going forward, cus-tomer designs willrequire scalability tosupport the addition of new features. As802.11 standardsmature, including802.11e Quality ofService, 802.11iSecurity, 802.11f InterAccess Point Protocoland 802.11h DFS/TPC,many customers willbenefit from the pro-cessing headroom provided by the Intel XScale core.

the first in a planned line of processors with IntelXScale technology that is ARM* v.5TE architecture-compliant and specifically designed to address theline card control plane processing needs of a varietyof communications and networking equipment,including wireless equipment such as RadioNetwork Controllers (RNC) and line cards for NodeBs and Base Transceiver Stations (BTS). The IntelIXC1100 control plane processor also optimizesperformance and design flexibility for other applica-tions, including scalable line interface cards forMulti-Service Access Platforms (MSAP), Multi-Service Provisioning Platforms (MSPP) in metro areanetworks, Multi-Service Switch (MSS) equipmentat the network edge, and VoP gateways.

Control Plane Processing on the Line CardFor local heavy exception handling, the IXC1100control processor is placed on the line card, whereit can handle such tasks as signaling and connec-tion management, messaging to the system’scontrol blade, distributed route table management,and other distributed processing managementtasks. Implementing the control plane processor onthe line card brings the processing of signals andexceptions “close to the wire” to optimize data

handling efficiency. Intel IXC1100 control planeprocessors provide the right blend of power, per-formance, price, footprint, software, and servicesin line card implementations where low power, highperformance, small footprint and “endian-ness” areall important considerations. Both Intel IXC1100control plane processors and Intel IXA networkprocessors are big-endian, using a format forbinary data in which the most significant bit (or byte)comes first in the word.

The IXC1100 control plane processor complementsthe control plane processing of the Intel IXA networkprocessor, which performs tasks including simpleexception handling, messaging to the line cardcontrol processor and the system control blade,doing local table updates on messages receivedfrom the control blade and performing local statis-tics aggregation on messages passed up to thecontrol blade.

Advantages of Intel® XScale™ TechnologyIntel IXC1100 control plane processors and IntelIXA network processors provide the most flexiblechoice of line card control solutions currently avail-able to the system architect. Intel XScale technology

5


Pow

er

Supply

Intel ®LXT972

EthernetPHY

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StrataFlash™

Technology

SDRAM I/F

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SDRAM Expansion I/F

MII

MII

xDSL D

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Intel ® IXP425 N

etwork P

rocessor

.

.

.

.

Intel ®LXT972

EthernetPHY

Closer Look: Mini-DSLAM

Closer Look:Mini-DSLAM

The Intel® IXP425 net-work processor for CPEand broadband accessapplications integratesdata, voice and securityfunctions and multipleinterfaces to support abroad range of WANand LAN technologies,including xDSL,Ethernet, wirelessEthernet (802.11x) andcable. The perform-ance, flexibility, andscalability of the IntelIXP425 network proces-sor have enabled thedesign of a flexible MiniDSL Access Multiplexer(Mini-DSLAM). Thedesign benefits from thecombination of fourhigh-performance pro-cessing elements: theprocessor’s Intel XScalecore and three networkprocessor engines(NPEs), which enablewire-speed perform-ance at both the LANand WAN ports.Because the IntelXScale core and theNPEs run their instruc-tion streams in parallel,the Intel XScale coreprovides ample pro-cessing headroom. This enables the Mini-DSLAM to be a scalabledesign, capable of sup-porting differentiatingproduct features nowand additional featuresin the future. Since theNPEs are hard-codeddevices, they acceleratetime-to-market byaddressing predeter-mined data communi-cations functions needed in the design.

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is optimized for high performance and low power,and the use of the XScale core in both the controlplane and network processors simplifies the task ofsoftware partitioning without impacting forwardingplane throughput. ARM v.5TE instruction set com-pliance enables developers to take advantage of therobust ARM ecosystem, including tools and soft-ware. In addition, the availability of robust IntelXScale tool chains eases design-in with futureprocessors on Intel’s control plane and networkprocessor roadmaps.

Software and ToolsThe Intel® IXCDP1100 Development Platformenables the rapid development of control planesoftware, and includes a hardware platform basedon the IXC1100 control plane processor, compiler/debug tools and a real-time operating system boardsupport package. The development platform alsoincludes Intel IXC1100 Control Plane PerformancePrimitives for operations such as cyclical redun-dancy checking (CRC 7) algorithms, hash tablesearches, and TCP/IP checksum. Complementarysoftware includes highly optimized strategic protocolcomponents, as well as third-party softwaredesigned to optimize application performanceand accelerate time-to-market, including evaluationcopies of Wind River Tornado*, ARM Limited ADS*,and Red Hat GNUPro*.

Intel® Architecture Processorsfor Communications

Intel® Architecture processors, chipsets and otherbuilding blocks meet the growing requirements ofapplications and services processing, managementand system control blades, and content processingblades. With their industry-leading processingcapability, scalability, extended life cycle support,and software development environments, theseprocessors provide a combination of performance,scalability, and upgradability for network infrastruc-ture applications. The Intel Architecture product lineincludes the Intel® Xeon™ processor for the highestlevels of compute performance, and the IntelPentium M processor and Low Voltage Intel®

Pentium® III processor for bladed form factors.

Applications and Services ProcessingCompute-intensive applications are often at theheart of differentiated communications productsand network services. Intel Architecture is the bestchoice to meet the demands of call control, Home/Virtual Location Register, billing management andprovisioning services and may also be used todirect and manage clusters of blade-based or linecard-based content processors.

6


Intel ®LXT6155STM-1 Ser/DesT3 LIU x3 Intel ®IX

F3503STM-1Mapper/Framer

Intel ®IXF3502

1024 HDLCController

Intel ®IXF3502

1024 HDLCController

Intel ®21555PCI Bridge

10/100EthernetPorts

Intel ®IXF3501

(3) T3 FramerIntel ®IXF3208

Octal Framer

FPGA

Intel ®IXC1100ControlPlaneProcessor

Intel ®IXP2400

Network

Processor DRAMSD

RAMFlash

SDRAMFlash

Intel ®IXF3208

Octal Framer

Intel ®LXT3108

Octal LIUIntel ®

LXT3108Octal LIU 3x

3x

2x STM-1

16x T1/E1/J1PCI B

us

OSIF

.

.

.

.

.

Closer Look: Multi-Service Switch Distributed I/O Line Card

Closer Look:Multi-ServiceSwitch DistributedI/O Line Card

An example of anIXC1100 control planeprocessor application isthe Multi-Service SwitchDistributed I/O LineCard. The design uti-lizes Intel® componentsincluding the IXC1100control plane processorwith two 10/100Ethernet ports, the IntelIXP2400 networkprocessor, the Intel®

LXT3108 Line InterfaceUnit, IXF3502 High-levelData Link Controller(HDLC), IXF3501 T3Framer, and both OctalT1/E1, T3 and OC-3PHYs. The line cardsupports control planesoftware for a variety ofprotocols including:ATM, Frame Relay,PPPoE, PPPoA, andBorder GatewayProtocol (BGP).

Processing requirements for applications andservices blades include processing density, scalableperformance, and reduced power consumption,which varies by blade form factor. Intel Architecturesilicon components for applications and servicesprocessing include the Low Voltage Intel Xeonprocessor and the Intel Pentium M processor, bothcoupled with the high I/O bandwidth, large memoryaddressing Intel® E7501 chipset. The combinationof a high compute performance processor and3 GB/s of chipset I/O bandwidth is well suited formulti-Gb Ethernet applications.

Content ProcessingContent processing blades are designed to handleintensive content-based processing outside thecapabilities of the standard line card for applicationsincluding voice processing, encryption offload, andintrusion-detection systems. In this communicationsprocessing space, performance demands are high,and may be satisfied by processor designs whosedensity provides the maximum computationalhorsepower within the available form factor andthermal envelope.

Intel Architecture is an excellent choice where veryheavy processing on each packet is a key consid-eration. Intel Architecture processors for contentprocessing include the Intel Pentium M processorwith the Intel E7501 chipset and the Low VoltageIntel Pentium III processor with 512K cache andIntel® 815E chipsets. These processor-chipset com-binations provide outstanding compute performancewithin a small bladed form factor.

Management and System Control ProcessingSystem management functions include driverenumeration, route table management, global tablemanagement, network address translation andmessaging to the control blade. Intel Architectureis most suitable in centralized control and systemmanagement blades (shelf controllers) wherescalability and software flexibility is a primary con-sideration. Intel Architecture building blocks suitedfor management and system control processinginclude the Low Voltage Intel Pentium M processorwith the Intel E7501 chipset and the Low VoltageIntel Pentium III processor with 512K cache andthe Intel 815E chipset.

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I/O BridgeICH3-SIntel ®

Pentium® M

Processor(1.60 GH

z)

Intel ® E7501MCH

400 MHz PSB

3.2 GB/s

PCI/PCI-XBridge(P64H

2)

8-bitHI1.5266 MB/s

3 x 16-bitHI2.01.066 GB/sPCI/PCI-XBridge(P

64H2)

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PCI-XDual C

hannel3.2 GB/s

(Single Channel

2.2 GB/s)PCI/PCI-XBridge(P

64H2)

PCI-X

82545EM

DDR 200

Closer Look: Intel® Pentium® M Processor

Closer Look: theIntel® Pentium® MProcessor

The Intel Pentium M

processor is micro-

architected with features

that are optimal for com-

munications. It delivers the

highest levels of process-

ing performance available

within a 12-25W thermal

envelope. More efficient

execution, power-optimized

circuitry and large L1 and

L2 caches enable this

processor to support

more complex exception-

handling, without higher

thermals, in compute-

intensive applications that

need to operate at multi-

Gigabyte data rates. It also

provides the fast context-

switching performance to

handle large numbers of

concurrent connections.

The Pentium M processor

is ideal for control and

signaling applications

including radio network

controllers and media

gateway controllers that

need to support more

services per call. Platforms

based on the Pentium M

processor and the Intel

E7501 chipset deliver the

performance, low thermal

characteristics, and I/O

bandwidth needed in ultra-

dense communications

environments. The Intel®

Pentium® M Processor

Communications Appliance

reference design is avail-

able to accelerate designs

based on the Pentium M

processor and Intel

E7501 chipset.

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Development Tools and SoftwareIntel Architecture for communications also offersa comprehensive array of development tools forperformance analysis, software development, andhardware integration. The easy programmabilityand code compatibility of Intel Architecture helpsminimize time-to-market, since once their systemhardware has been deployed, vendors can adddifferentiating features through software modifica-tions. This platform-based approach to developmentmaximizes the “time-in-market” for a given hardwaredesign, and enables developers to easily imple-ment value-added and innovative features withoutexpensive re-engineering.

Intel Architecture for communications has a numberof other important advantages for developers:

■ Support for a wide range of standard andreal-time operating systems

■ Scalable reference designs for communicationsplatforms

■ Embedded product life cycles to further maximizetime-in-market

■ Low-profile packaging adapted to small form factor communications devices

■ Intel® product roadmaps for a continuous, cost-effective product evolution.

Development tools and software for IntelArchitecture enable developers to focus theiravailable resources on applications and value-added services that will help sustain their com-petitive advantage. Intel provides building blocksthat work together in specific configurations to sup-port short time-to-market development of a varietyof distributed processing implementations.Applications for these Intel® CommunicationsReference Designs include: load balancing, networkattached storage and storage area networkingequipment, network security, Virtual PrivateNetworks, Voice over IP (VoIP), and Web caching.

Networked Storage: Intel® I/O Processors and Intel® Architecture

The growth of Internet computing has made theI/O processor a key factor in system reliability andperformance. With the introduction of the Intel®

IOP321 I/O processor, Intel is building on nearlya decade of I/O processor leadership.

Enterprise servers and networked storage appli-cations, including network attached storage (NAS)and storage area network (SAN) implementations,require high rates of I/O throughput for optimal per-formance. The Intel IOP321 I/O processor is a highlyintegrated, cost-effective I/O system-on-a-chipdesigned to move high quantities of data onto thewire to support I/O-intensive applications. To speedtime-to-market, the Intel IOP321 I/O processor issupported by a comprehensive suite of softwarelibraries and tools for Intel XScale technology.

The Intel IOP321 I/O processor at 400 or 600 MHzis optimized for high performance in networkedstorage devices, TCP/IP offload subsystems, RAIDand iSCSI controllers. Reduced power consumptioneliminates the need for a heat sink and its single-chip design enables developers to conserve boardreal estate. The processor supports the PCI-X busand PC200 DDR SDRAM, enabling networkedservers and storage devices to transfer data fasterto alleviate bottlenecks and improve network stor-age I/O performance. Intel also provides the Intel®

IQ80321 development kit, which includes resourcesto begin development of networked storage devicesutilizing the Intel IOP321 I/O processor.

Intel Architecture processors complement Intel®

I/O processors as key building blocks for storageapplications. Intel Architecture processors andchipsets support high-density dual-processorplatform designs with high I/O bandwidth, largememory addressability and the added reliability ofECC (error correcting code) memory support, whilemeeting tight space and thermal requirements.

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9


Intel ® ComponentsThird

-party Vendors

Optional Block

DDR

DDR

Super I/O

LV Intel ®Xeon™P

rocessor

Intel ® E7500

GbE w

ith TCPIP O

ffload

Intel ®82801C

A

Intel ®82870P

2Intel ®82870P

2

Intel ®82544

Intel ®IOP310/

TOEIntel ®IO

P321

Intel ®82870P

2

LPC

ATA

-100 ATA

-100

SCSI

S-ATA

LEDs

RS-232

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HL 1

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HL 2(1067 MBps)

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400 MHz

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or

SecondaryPCI B

us

LV Intel ®Xeon™P

rocessorLV Intel ®Xeon™P

rocessor

NAS System Design

NAS and SAN NAS is hard disk storage attached to a local areanetwork and provided with its own IP address,rather than being directly attached to a depart-ment server. Removing disk storage and storagemanagement from the server speeds access toapplications and files because they are no longercompeting for CPU resources in the server. Filerequests are mapped by the main server to theNAS file server. NAS includes hard disk storage,including multi-disk RAID systems and softwarefor configuring and mapping file locations to thenetwork-attached device.

In addition, NAS can be included within a SAN.NAS software can usually handle a number ofnetwork protocols, including Microsoft InternetworkPacket Exchange* and NetBEUI, Novell NetwareInternetwork Packet Exchange*, and Sun

Microsystems Network File System*. Configuration,including the setting of user access priorities, isusually possible using a Web browser.

Intel has expanded its extensive line of IA proces-sors for storage with the introduction of the Intel®

Low Voltage Xeon™ processor at 1.6 GHz. Thisprocessor delivers a combination of computationalperformance, density and reduced power dissipa-tion complemented by scalability and the ability toupgrade system-level functionality in software. Italso features Intel’s Hyper-Threading Technology.In the NAS system design, a Low Voltage IntelXeon processor provides the processing power tomanage file requests from the network and cachedata being processed while the IOP321 I/Oprocessor handles a RAID volume containing mul-tiple drives in a striped, mirrored or parity-baseddisk array.

Complementary Layer 1 andLayer 2 Silicon

By combining Intel network infrastructure proces-sors with complementary Layer 1 and Layer 2communications silicon, designers can createhigh-performance solutions optimized for specificnetworking and telecommunications applicationsin the enterprise, at the edge, and in metro andlong-haul networks.

Ethernet SolutionsIn the enterprise, Intel offers Ethernet solutionsfrom 10 Mbps to 10 Gbps, with a wide range ofMAC, PHY, and integrated single-chip solutionsavailable for client, server, and storage applications.In addition, Intel produces Layer 2 and Layer 2/3/4-switching silicon for modular and stackable switchesin a variety of port densities designed to reduce costper port while delivering maximum performance.Intel’s full range of SPI 4 phase-2 MACs includesthe 10-port 10/100/1000-Mbps Ethernet MAC.

Layer 1 and Layer 2 DevicesAt the network edge, Intel® Layer 1 and Layer 2devices complement Intel network infrastructureprocessors, providing a complete traffic manage-ment solution needed to overcome bottlenecks atthe access point of a channelized line card. Thetwo-chip solution consists of a link aggregator forframing and mapping and a high-level data linkcontrol (HDLC) device to provide Layer 2 process-ing, analyzing incoming data and supportingmultiple protocols including TDM to IP, ATM, pureIP, and traditional TDM. In addition to optimizingperformance by offloading Layer 2 data link pro-cessing from the network processor, the Layer 1/Layer 2 complementary silicon solution can eliminatethe need for multiple line cards to convert trafficto T1/E1, DS3/E3, OC-3/STM-1, OC-12/STM-4,channelized down to DS-0. Intel’s Layer 1 andLayer 2 devices enable a universal line card architec-ture to support a variety of traffic types on-demandthrough software changes. These Intel solutions arecomplete with sample code and support scalablesolutions up to OC-48.

Optoelectronic Silicon and Optical TransceiversIntel provides optoelectronic silicon for enterprise,metro, and long-haul applications. These productsinclude CMOS physical medium dependent (PMD)devices, high-performance low-power physicalmedium attachment (PMA) components, framerand MAC solutions for optical transport network(OTN), SONET, 10-Gbps Ethernet and forwarderror correction (FEC) applications. For customersseeking greater integration, faster time-to-market,and reduced inventory costs, Intel provides a fullsuite of optical transceivers. Intel® optical trans-ceivers support 300-pin, Xenpak*, and XPAK*multi-source agreements (MSAs), support singleor multi-rate applications in SONET and 10-GbpsEthernet, and provide reach to 2, 10, 12, 40, and80 km.

Intel® Communications Software Services

Whether a developer is creating a new solution or migrating from a legacy platform, Intel®

Communications Software Services (Intel® CSS)specializes in providing the resources and assis-tance needed to accelerate time-to-market withIntel network infrastrutcture processors. Intel CSSprovides professional software developmentassistance at multiple levels to help developers getstarted fast and drive your development programto completion:

■ Software building blocks and pre-assembled, validated software solution kits to helpdevelopers start fast.

■ Professional software development support services, including customization, enhancement,software integration, optimization, and long-termsupport are available to help developers com-plete their designs and move products to market.

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This software and service package, coupled withIntel® silicon, boards, development platformsand tools, provides a single point of contact thatcan help developers take optimal advantage ofthe performance and programmability of Intelnetwork infrastructure processors including Intel IXAnetwork processors, Intel IXC1100 control planeprocessors and Intel Architecture processorsfor communications.

Intel® Communications Alliance

Today’s communications and embedded computingsolutions are delivered by a worldwide communitythat uses Intel technologies, building blocks, andtechnical and co-marketing support services. TheIntel® Communications Alliance was formed to helpthis community develop new opportunities forgrowth through active engagement with developersand solutions providers worldwide. Membersinclude platform providers, suppliers of complemen-tary silicon components, and vendors of softwareapplications, operating systems, and developmenttools. The community provides members with theopportunity to collaborate in new ways to deliverinnovative solutions in less time at lower cost, andthen to pass these competitive benefits on to theircustomers. Intel works with community members toprovide underlying communications and computingtechnologies and to drive the industry-standardspecifications needed for greater choice, stabilityand opportunities for market growth.

Qualified third-party vendors provide tools andsoftware solutions optimized to interoperate withall Intel network infrastructure processors and enableequipment manufacturers and application develop-ers to take optimum advantage of their performanceand programmability. Third-party developers providea wide choice of operating systems, productivitytools, professional services, hardware/software

tools, and software applications. Complementarysilicon providers enhance development based onIntel network infrastructure processors by providingclassification silicon, ternary content addressablememory (TCAM) devices, encryption silicon, bridges,switch fabrics, and other components.

Working with third-party vendors has significantbenefits for Intel customers:

■ Multiple levels of integration—Customers canbuy at whatever level of integration they prefer. Choices range from combinations of processorsand operating systems to highly integrated Intel®

evaluation boards and development boards. Customers who desire the highest level of inte-gration can select full system-level solutions thatcan include operating systems, other software applications, processing blades, I/O cards and other subsystems, in a carrier-grade NEBS or ETSI-compliant chassis.

■ Alignment with Intel technologies, initiatives,

and industry standards—Through its commu-nications developer programs, Intel is making itsnetwork infrastructure processors available to equipment manufacturers in form factors that support modular platform form factor require-ments, including the AdvancedTCA*, ATX, CompactPCI*, PrPMC, and High-Speed Mezzanine Card (HSMC) standards. Software support includes carrier-grade Linux* andother operating systems, Service Availability* middleware, and the Intel® IXA softwareportability framework.

■ Quality—The large number of highly qualified companies supporting the Intel network infra-structure processor roadmap provide quality complementary silicon components, engineering expertise, rigorous quality standards, and the right tools and development software.

SoftwareIntel is actively engaged with leading global vendorsof data plane and control plane software that iscompliant with protocol standards as published byworldwide standards bodies including ITU, ETSI,ANSI, IETF, 3GPP, and others. The goal of Intel’sengagement with independent third-party softwarevendors is to create a model for the developmentof leading-edge software solutions for networkprocessing, control and content processing, resi-dential gateway applications, and professionalservices that enables customers to accelerate time-to-market, and reduce cost using Intel® processors.

Data plane and control plane software componentsand toolkits enable communications equipmentmanufacturers to build products for the followingapplications:

■ Voice-Over-Packet Networks, including SIP, H.323, MGCP, and MEGACO

■ GPRS/3G/UMTS Wireless Infrastructure, including AAL2, ALCAP, RANAP, GTP, and SIGTRAN Security Solutions, including VPNand firewall applications

■ Storage Solutions, including iSCSI and FSPF

■ CPE/edge/core routers and gateways, includingOSPF, IS-IS, MPLS, and PIM.

The Intel® IXA Portability Framework and microblockcode libraries provide an easy-to-use modularprogramming framework that protects softwareinvestments. The portability framework enables

developers to use modular, portable code blocksand integrate third-party software products forlonger product life and easier maintenance, reducingtime-to-market by minimizing time-consumingdevelopment of infrastructure software.

ToolsIntel Architecture and Intel XScale technologyinclude robust development tool chains that simplifysoftware development while meeting the diversedemands of distributed processing. The use ofIntel XScale cores for Intel network processorsand control plane processors enables developersto use the Intel XScale tool chain across bothdevice categories. Board support packages forleading operating systems, compilers and debugtools simplify integration and enhance softwareperformance and reliability. Advanced graphicalprogramming tools from third-party vendors fur-ther ease software engineering efforts, allowingcustomers to focus engineering resources onproduct value and differentiation while reducingtime-to-market.

Focusing on Total SolutionsIntel® communications developer programs aretransitioning from product-enablement to broadersolutions-enabling efforts within key vertical marketsegments. This increasing focus on vertical marketdevelopment solutions includes proof-of-conceptdesigns that demonstrate the integration of Intelnetwork infrastructure processors with comple-mentary modular silicon components, standards-based interfaces, drivers, and software.

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Summary

Today’s communications equipment must bedesigned from the outset to handle faster linespeeds, multiple protocols, and heavier processingper-packet. At the same time, the cost-effectiveprovisioning of revenue-generating services con-tinues to be a top priority with service providers.Communications processing platforms must bedesigned to adapt to rapidly evolving requirementswithout wholesale hardware replacement. All ofthese factors help to explain why it is becomingessential to distribute increased processingintelligence “closer to the wire.”

Intel continues to build upon the industry-leadingprogrammability and performance of Intel IXA net-work processors and Intel Architecture processorsfor communications with an expanded portfolio ofnetwork infrastructure processors that make it easierfor equipment manufacturers to optimally distributehigh-performance processing where and whenneeded in modular networks. Intel’s networkinfrastructure processors include:

■ Intel IXA network processors for wire-speed packet forwarding

■ Intel IXC1100 control plane processors to help meet the growing need for high-performance, low-power distributed control plane processingon the line card

■ Intel Architecture processors for communicationsto meet the compute-intensive processing requirements of applications and services bladesand content processing, in addition to systems management and control.

With optimized software, development tools, refer-ence designs, and complementary silicon availablethrough Intel and active third-party developer pro-grams, Intel’s network infrastructure processorfamilies help equipment manufacturers benefit fromthe trend to distributed processing by providingversatile design choices to the system architect.Intel’s advanced network infrastructure processorsoffer the high performance and functionality requiredto extend intelligence in the network, enabling sup-erior design flexibility and faster time-to-market tomeet the growing demand for rich network services.

White PaperIntel® Network Infrastructure Processors

Intel may make changes to specifications and product descriptions at any time, without notice.

*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

Intel, Intel XScale, Intel StrataFlash, and the Intel logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

For more information, visit the Intel Web site at: developer.intel.com

Information in this document is provided in connection with Intel® products. No license, express or implied, by estoppel or otherwise, to any intellectualproperty rights is granted by this document. Except as provided in Intel’s Terms and Conditions of Sale for such products, Intel assumes no liability what-soever, and Intel disclaims any express or implied warranty, relating to sale and/or use of Intel products including liability or warranties relating to fitness for a particular purpose, merchantability, or infringement of any patent, copyright or other intellectual property right. Intel products are not intended foruse in medical, life-saving, or life-sustaining applications.

Copyright © 2003 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. 0403/ASI/PDF Please Recycle 251690-003

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Developer Web Site developer.intel.com

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Intel Network Infrastructure Processors