EZchip Semiconductor has implemented the latest OpenFlow spec, version 1.1, on its NP-4 network processor by several independent bodies.
EZchip noted that while the previous version of OpenFlow, version 1.0, has seen multiple silicon-based implementations, the recently released version 1.1 strains silicon implementations by requiring a high degree of packet processing flexibility, in particular performing repetitive nested lookups in various tables.
One of the implementations of OpenFlow 1.1 on the NP-4 was developed by the Telecom Research Team (LTIR Lab) at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), while others are at corporations that prefer confidentiality. The LTIR Research Lab was founded by Professor Omar Cherkaoui who is leading a major project on the virtualization of network equipment called Netvirt.
"EZchip's NP-4 processor provides the flexibility and performance necessary for implementing OF1.1 as well as any future versions of the standard. NP-4's easy programming model enabled the UQAM Netvirt team to realize our OF1.1 full implementation with a high level of flexibility and a full 100 Gigabits. We are very pleased with the outcome," said Prof. Omar Cherkaoui, Université du Québec à Montréal. http://www.ezchip.com
- OpenFlow is a new protocol that is being developed to separate the data plane from the control plane in a switch or router. The goal is to enable software-defined switching architectures. Work is being carried out by the OpenFlow Switch Consortium and Stanford University.
