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Provide high-speed Network Processors (NPUs)

Provide high-speed Network Processors (NPUs). NP (Network Platform). PC. CPU. NPU. The Network Processor (NPU) Vision.

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Provide high-speed Network Processors (NPUs)

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  1. Provide high-speed Network Processors (NPUs)

  2. NP (Network Platform) PC CPU NPU The Network Processor (NPU) Vision • Network Processor (NPU) is a programmable chip, designed specifically to process packets (data, voice and video) and be used in networking products such as switches and routers. • Like Pentium in PCs, Network Processors will eventually be found in all networking products. • Furthermore, such products can be based on standard Network Platforms (NPs). EMS (Electronic Manufacturing Services) companies will build and sell the NPs to systems vendors which will add their SW and sell it to their customers.

  3. NPU ASIC NPUs vs. ASICs Networking Products • Before NPUs became available networking products were built from ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits). With the right price and features NPUs will replace ASICs over time. • ASICs are fixed function chips that require very long design cycles and cannot be redesigned quickly enough to keep up with Internet dynamics, such as QoS in carrier class Ethernet. • NPUs can be easily programmed to support all Internet requirements, including QoS in carrier class Ethernet products.

  4. Services Card Line Cards NPU NPUs ASICs • Whereas the inflexible ASICs are located in cost-sensitive Gigabit Ethernet line cards – usually ten per box. • Can NPUs become more affordable and make the transition into line cards to provide flexibility at the port level? Services Cards vs. Line Cards • NPUs are generally more expensive and today are used mostly in services cards – usually one card per box – to provide flexibility and add new features.

  5. But the size of analog I/O pads stays almost unchanged EZchip die size driven by logic “Core Limited” EZchip die size driven by pads “Pad Limited” Can NPUs be Affordable? Advanced silicon process technology reduces the gate size 180nm 150nm 130nm 90nm logic logic logic logic At 130nm and below EZchip NPUs, like ASICs, are becoming pad-limited with similar die sizes and costs

  6. NP-2 @ 130nm is EZchip’s first step in replacing ASICs on line cards with unlimited flexibility at ASIC cost, targeting carrier products NP-3 NP-2 NP-3 @ 90nm is a complete line card on a chip that will further reduce the cost of carrier class products and with the price points to replace ASICs in core enterprise products as well EZchip Wins Through Integration Line Card NP-1 NPU Optics Ethernet Phys Ethernet MACs Traffic Managers Fabric Interface Search Engines

  7. “Startup EZchip has established itself as the leading vendor of 10Gbps NPUs, focusing on metro and high-end enterprise applications……... We expect 10Gbps NPUs to comprise 30% of 2007 NPU revenue, and EZchip could capture half of this revenue.” Linley Gwennap and Bob Wheeler A Guide to Network Processors, November 2004 “Intel and AMCC are studiously ignoring that high-end market and letting EZchip run away with it” Linley Gwennap Light Reading, August 2005 What the Experts Say: Linley Gwennap

  8. “Show me the Money.” George GilderGilder Technology ReportAugust 2005 What the Experts Say: George Gilder “EZchip is no longer a venture investment; it is a rip roaring winner, my best pick since Qualcomm.” “In the world of network processors, EZchip Inside may soon become as ubiquitous as Intel Inside has become in the microprocessor world.” George GilderGilder Technology ReportOctober 2004

  9. EZchip’s Background Information • EZchip founded in 1999 as a LanOptics (LNOP) spin-off • 60% held by LanOptics; LanOptics only asset • EZchip is practically a publicly traded company • Head count – 80; 60 in R&D • EZchip raised over $60M; last $10M closed in July 2005 • LanOptics, Goldman Sachs, JK&B, Star and Blue Run • Products • NP-1 – Sampled in April 2002 as a proof of concept • NP-1c – Commercial shipments started in December 2003 • NP-2 – Sampled in 6/05, production expected in Q1/06 • Customers as of August 2005 • Over 60 active design wins; many large systems vendors

  10. EZchip’s Active Design Wins

  11. Summary • NP-1 established EZchip as the high-speed NPU leader • Targeting services cards, usually one per box • At <130nm EZchip NPUs and ASICs have similar cost structure • But NPUs are flexible and ASICs are not • NP-2@130nm: First step in replacing ASICs on line cards • Targeting line cards in carrier products, usually 10 per box • NP-3@90nm: A complete line card on a chip • Adding core enterprise line cards • Focus on building our customer base • The large players are Cisco, Huawei, Juniper, Nortel and Alcatel. Three of the five are already NP-2 customers

  12. System design can be hard or EZ System design can be hard EZ or

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