Dual-CPU network processors deliver up to 800MIPS

The Gemini family of dual-CPU network processors help designers craft systems that can manage the high-speed data and video now streaming through fibre connections into homes and businesses.

The Gemini family of dual-CPU network processors from StorLink Semiconductors delivers up to 800MIPS.

With that throughput and its multiple integrated functions, the line lets designers craft systems that can manage the high-speed data and video now streaming through fibre connections into homes and businesses.

Based on dual ARM9 32bit RISC processor cores, the SL3518 packs dual gigabit Ethernet media access controllers, a TCP/IP offload engine, a 128bit encryption engine, dual integrated drive electronics, serial ATA storage interfaces and a hardware RAID engine that supports RAID5.

"Taking aim at applications such as Internet protocol set-top boxes, voice-over-IP gateways, media servers with RAID, networked-attached storage systems and gigabit router gateways, the chips reduce system complexity to just a few logic chips and memory", said Douglas Cheung, Vice President of Marketing and Sales.

"The dual-CPU architecture maximises system throughput while offering designers flexibility for application software development", Cheung said.

StorLink provides a software suite that includes a fully functional stack running on the first CPU and a small-footprint real-time operating system running on the second CPU.

Also able to run on the second CPU are an interprocessor communications layer and a complete development platform for code development and integration.

The hardwired NetEngine protocol accelerator speeds the processing of network address translations; quality-of-service management; IPv4 and IPv6 routing and forwarding; deep packet parsing; and filtering, segmentation and TCP/IP offload.

The dual 10/100/1000 Ethernet controllers let system integrators configure a traditional NAS server system with one or two Ethernet channels, or a NAS server plus router gateway capabilities using one WAN port and one LAN port.

The Layer 2-4 hardware switching and Layer 2-7 packet classification on chip enable high-end router/gateway designs, according to StorLink.

Able to deliver up to 600/200Mbit/s running DES/3DES algorithms or 237/197/169Mbit/s executing 128/192/256bit AES algorithms, the security acceleration engine keeps data moving rapidly through the chip.

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