Content inspection processors cut memory demands

Devices support either completely RAMless or single-memory-chip operating modes and provide scalable throughput up to 2Gbit/s.

LSI has released the Tarari T1000 series of silicon-based content inspection processors for networking OEMs.

The T1000 series supports either completely RAMless or single-memory-chip operating modes and provides scalable throughput up to 2Gbit/s, enabling manufacturers to leverage a single development effort across a wide range of performance levels.

T1000 processors also occupy one-tenth the board space of previous-generation solutions.

The T1000 series is the first regular expression (regex) processor to function independently without any external memory for implementations operating at datarates of 250 and 500Mbit/s.

When configured for RAMless mode operation, T1000 processors share host CPU system memory, resulting in lower cost and reduced power consumption.

The simple addition of a single low-cost memory chip enables high-performance applications operating at 1 and 2Gbit/s rates.

In contrast, today's competing solutions require multiple, expensive and exotic memory types to achieve multigigabit datarates.

The T1000 series also allows networking manufacturers to use the same development effort across their spectrum of performance levels from entry-level to high-end systems.

Now the same regular expression rules can be used in applications ranging from 100Mbit/s to 10Gbit/s rates, saving engineering expense and improving time to market.

In addition to supporting real-time performance, these solutions free up the system CPU to process additional value-added applications.

Designers also have the flexibility of reducing the CPU clock frequency or use fewer expensive CPU cores to reduce overall system cost and power consumption.

"The new T1000 series is targeted specifically at high-volume applications", says Randy Smerik, Senior Vice President, Network Components Group, LSI.

"We have moved very quickly since Tarari joined LSI in October 2007, and the T1000 is a good example of this".

"Our solutions will drive down the overall cost of adding greater intelligence, control and security into the network and complements our multigigabit board-level products that went into production earlier this year".

According to Bob Wheeler, Senior Analyst at The Linley Group: "LSI is the market leader in content inspection accelerators due to the deep understanding of customer and application requirements demonstrated by the Tarari team".

"The T1000 series delivers on this capability once again, bringing regex acceleration to cost-sensitive designs that previously had to rely on low-performance software implementations".

The LSI Tarari content processor family is a comprehensive set of solutions providing security, quality of service, content-based billing and bandwidth management functions.

These solutions support common industry interfaces and a common application programming interface, resulting in shorter design cycles and faster times to market.

A single engineering effort can support an entire range of networking and security products, from 100Mbit/s datarates ideal for small and medium business and remote office/branch office applications, up to 10Gbit/s rates for the most demanding enterprise and service provider switch applications.

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