Pre-Review: Network Processors: Architectures, Protocols, and Platforms

Today I received the first of several books which I hope will illuminate the world of hardware specially-built for networking tasks. This book is Network Processors: Architectures, Protocols, and Platforms by Panos Lekkas and published by McGraw-Hill. A network processor is a programmable processor designed specifically for processing packets. They are an alternative to Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), which cost about $1 million each to design.

The same day I received this book, I also got the new copy of Cisco's IP Journal. This is a free quarterly newsletter I recommend every networking professional read. In a dash of Police-esque synchronicity, the first article is by Douglas Comer and introduces readers to network processors. I am looking forward to reading Prof. Comer's Network Systems Design with Network Processors, Agere Version. His article alludes to a version of that book for the Intel 2xxx family of network processors.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Hopefully this will bring closer the long overdue Active Networks. I remember having studied these in school, years ago, and having written a security paper, discussing the need for active networks in dynamically creating VPNs ... who knows ... one of these days ...
10:06 PM
Richard Bejtlich said…
Hello,

Just how far should an active network extend? I'm already wary of projects like Cisco's Self-Defending Network. I'm afraid that as more functionality is added to devices which previously concentrated on moving packets, there will be even more opportunities to exploit those devices. I feel more comfortable with the current model where "intelligence" is applied closer to the network edge. I haven't made up my mind yet, though.
7:32 AM
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