Network Engine Key To A New Processing Architecture

To provide processing power for OC192 data transfer rates and beyond, a new scalable network processing core architecture called NetVortex has been developed. NetVortex consists of two components: the LX8000 network engine CPU and the VortexBus. The LX8000 is responsible for performing the computation needed for network functions, such as forwarding address calculation and repacketization. The VortexBus is responsible for moving packets from the network interface to the LX8000 for computation and then returning packets back to the interface.
In a target system design, up to sixteen LX8000s and up to four VortexBuses can be used, thus delivering scalability for different applications. The LX8000 is highly optimized for network processing and can handle up to eight different network data packets at any time. The VortexBus has a distinct protocol that is optimized for network traffic, making the entire bus dedicated to packet traffic. Furthermore, the bus delivers the packet traffic directly into the LX8000 memory without interruption or forcing the processor to wait during the transfer.
NetVortex is licensed in two forms: a portable RTL version is targeted at any silicon manufacturer; a completed hard macro version is optimized for a specific silicon manufacturing process, called SmoothCore. The RTL version is priced at $695,000 for one project, while the SmoothCore version is priced at $995,000 for one project.