一种全新的网络处理器

A Brand New Network Processor

网络设备的可编程能力和处理速度常常是一对矛盾。网络设备开发因此经常不得不在软件实现的灵活性和硬件实现的开发复杂性之间作出抉择。网络处理器很好地解决了编程能力和处理器速度之间的矛盾，为广大网络设备开发商所看好。从网络处理器的出现谈起，分析了网络处理器应具备的特性，并结合AGERE公司的网络处理器产品介绍了网络处理器的体系结构、原理及主要功能，在文章的最后部分又结合示例对网络处理器的应用作了进一步阐述。

The programmability of network device often conflicts with the speed of process． Therefore the manufacturers have to choose between the flexibility of software development and the complexity of hardware development． However the network processors may solve the problem and satisfy the demands of the booming Internet． Accordingly network processor is taken as an ideal solution for future network devices． Beginning with the brief history of the emergence of network processor some features of network processor are introduced in this paper． After that combined with the network processors of Agere the architectures and functions of network processor are analyzed． In the last part of this paper some applications of network processor are further presented．