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Linux networking stack ported to MIPS64 chips
2009-08-31 Article Rating:   / 2
French networking middleware firm 6Wind has ported its Linux-based networking stack to RMI's MIPS64-based XLR and XLS multi-core, multi-threaded processors. Optimized for multi-core, 6WindGate offers "ready-to-use layer 2-4" routing, QoS, IPv4-6, and XML-based UTM security management middleware, says the company.
6Wind had previously offered support for select XLR processors, but has now been ported to RMI's entire line of XLR and lower-end XLS processors. Other supported platforms include x86, IXP4xx, IXP2xxx, and most recently, Freescale's PowerPC-based QorIQ P4080 multi-core networking processor. The 6WindGate stack is designed for telecommunications, security, and networking equipment manufacturers, helping designers avoid "having to work through the typical design complexities of multicore," says 6Wind. The middleware supplies routing, security, QoS (quality-of-service), mobility, and IPv4-6 functions, says the company. Security-related features include an XML-based management system for integration with UTM (unified threat management) software. Other touted security functions include IPsec cryptography hardware, and support for the OpenBSD Cryptographic Framework (OCF).  6WindGate's ADS, EDS, and SDS versions The SDS version dedicates certain cores to data plane processing via its real-time MCEE (Multi-Core Executive Environment) operating system, says 6Wind. In this configuration, the software assigns other cores to control plane tasks running Linux. The EDS version performs many of the SDS version's real-time capabilities without MCEE by implementing a fast path as a Linux kernel module, says the company. The module sits between the Linux networking stack and the interface drivers (see diagram below).  6WindGate EDS architecture RMI's XLR processors are aimed at communications, networking, wireless, and security applications, says the company. They integrate four or eight MIPS64 cores clocked up to 1.5GHz. Each core is said to implement fine-grained, four-way multi-threading, for the equivalent performance of 16 or 32 separate cores. The low-cost XLS version of the XLR is similarly based on a MIPS64 core. The XLS208, for example, offers dual 1GHz cores, and like other major XLR/XLS processors, comes with a Linux-compatible evaluation board and software development kit (SDK). Earlier this year, the company announced a superscalar, 40nm-fabricated XLP processor family that can support both data- and control-plane processing. The initial XLP832 model can mix eight "EC4400" cores clocked at 500MHz to over 2GHz, says RMI. Stated Mark Litvack, director, business development, for RMI Corporation. "[6WindGate] significantly reduces design costs and increases time to revenue for everyone. We've already jointly demonstrated the benefits of our collaboration with tier one customers and will continue to work with these and future customers to provide more optimizations." Stated Dominique Lanfranchi, VP of sales, Europe & North America, for 6Wind, "We are able to provide true performance gains for a variety of applications using RMI solutions including: telecommunications infrastructure equipment for 4G, LTE, wired, etc.; enterprise gateways; security appliances; network offload engines for IP-based applications; and much more." Availability 6WindGate is now available today for evaluation on RMI's XLR and XLS processors, says 6Wind. Pricing "varies by specific application and quantities," says the company. More information may be found here. Related Stories:
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