Network systems design : using network processors : Intel IXP version / Douglas E. Comer

Includes bibliographical references and index

Introduction and overview -- Basic terminology and example systems -- Review of protocols and packet formats -- Conventional computer hardware architecture -- Basic packet processing: algorithms and data structures -- Packet processing functions -- Protocol software on a conventional processor -- Hardware architecture for protocol processing -- Classification and forwarding -- Switching fabrics -- Network processors: motivation and purpose -- The complexity of network processor design -- Network processor architectures -- Issues in scaling a network processor -- Examples of commercial network processors -- Languages used for classification -- Design tradeoffs and consequences -- Overview of the Intel Network Processor -- Embedded RISC processor (StrongARM Core) -- Packet processor hardware (Microengines and FBI) -- Reference system and software development kit (Bridal veil SDK) -- Programming Model (ACE) -- ACE run-time structure and strongARM facilities -- Microengine programming 1 -- Microengine programming 2 -- An example ACE -- Intel's second generation processors

Intended for advanced undergraduates or graduate students who have taken a basic computer-networking course, this network system design book shows how to build the bridge, switcher, routers and firewalls that are the building blocks of the Internet.