Netronome at Linley Processor 2013
October 2013 – In Santa Clara at the fall Linley Processor Conference, we had a chance to sit down with the folks from Netronome to get some details on their new NFP-6xxx series network flow processor. The new chip is the continuation of the IPX line of network processors that has been the core of the Netronome business.
The next generation chip is being built as a dedicated network data processors in combination with an x86 control chip to form the security solution. The solution is compatible with most SDN and NFV applications, but is particularly suited to high data-touch applications such as Deep Packet Inspection (DPI). The current version of the product is available as a dual unit that can be colocated with Xeon class E5 processors. These shipping units featue a PCIe Gen 2 interface (dual lane). The new version, built on the Intel 22nm process can support a montherboard with up to 4 Xeon E5 processors and has a 4×8 lane PCIe Gene 3 interface. This interface on the chip support 10G, 40G and 100G interfaces and is configurable to support an internal gearbox for native flow management for these high speed connections. The new chip will support upto 250Bips when optimally configured including full ECC support for the local memory.
The device has the interfaces for the 10G/40G/100G connections, but not the direct connetion drivers. This allows the final appliance to be built with either 10GbaseT (copper), or 10G/40G/100G fiber and fixed or modular connector as is required.
A challenge for product design at these speeds the creation of optimzed code for the NFP unit by third parties as this is an assembly language level device operation. To simiplify this, Netronome releases a full application API that can be implemented on the MFP unit and the x86 to manange the full devie, function, reporting, power control , etc by just including the tested and approced (in some cases certified) API software module into thier x86 policy program. Thei API / SDK support is being constantly expanded to help simplify the SDN and NFV marketplaces.
