Netronome Systems released its new line of 10 Gigabit network flow processors aimed at next generation network and security appliances. Such appliances must scale in processing capacity as enterprise networks grow from 1 Gbps to 10 Gbps. They will also require greater intelligence, including security processing, application awareness and content inspection. 
Netronome's network flow processing solutions deliver high-performance packet processing with intelligence, security and virtualization for millions of simultaneous flows through several unique features, including:
- Hardware-based flow processing with line-rate packet capture of network traffic, enabling lossless deep-packet inspection applications with granular application- and content-specific policy control.
- Flow-aware adaptive load balancing to exploit multicore CPU parallelism and an efficient zero-copy driver, combine to quickly and evenly distribute 10Gbps of network traffic, maximizing host CPU performance.
- Up to 40Gbps of total throughput for real-world traffic patterns, with variable packet sizes and protocol mixes, to support the increasing bandwidth requirements of enterprise and service provider networks.
- Less than 80 microseconds of delay, far exceeding industry standard requirements for latency in 1Gbps and 10Gbps in-line network and security appliances.
- High-availability network interfaces, including integrated bypass, necessary for resilient deployment in in-line network topologies.
"As networks evolve to 10Gbps and beyond, the packet capture, flow classification and application processing capabilities of network and security appliances must scale in parallel," said Jarrod Siket, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Netronome. "Our solution meets these requirements and avoids the time and cost associated with a custom design, by combining intelligent network flow processing with standard x86 servers."
Netronome's PCI-Express based solution for accelerating multicore x86 systems offers dense front-facing Ethernet I/O options specifically designed for the Kontron NCS2U IP Network Server. The 4-port 10GigE and 12-port 10/100/1000 interfaces provide high-performance and low-latency, with high-availability via software configurable integrated bypass support.
http://www.netronome.com
- In November 2007, Netronome Systems, a start-up based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania focused on high-performance packet analysis solutions. announced a technology licensing, sales and marketing agreement will Intel focused on its IXP28XX product line of network processors. Under the exclusive deal, Netronome is licensed to continue sales and support of the Intel IXP2805 and the Intel IXP2855 network processors in new designs. In addition, Netronome is developing a next-generation line of IXP-compatible, high-end network flow processors that combine the Intel IXP28XX technology with Netronome's flow management and deep packet inspection architecture. The network flow processors, which feature 16 microengines or cores, are designed for a variety of communications applications ranging from network switching and routing (L2-L3) to content and flow analysis for specialized network and security appliances (L2-L7). They will support scalable network performance at 10 Gbps and beyond, along with sophisticated packet and flow classification, in a highly programmable design environment that will provide users of the Intel IXP28XX product line with a path to higher performance and software scalability.
