A Network Processor Performance and Design Model with Benchmark Parameterization

Network processors have become central elements in the design of modern routers. With higher line speeds and more demanding functional requirements, design of network processors has increased in difficulty. In this paper an analytic performance model for a multiprocessor-based single chip network processor is presented and used to aid in the design process. The model contains a number of workload parameters that have been obtained from a benchmark that reflects typical processing characteristics associated with packet processing. The system parameters include the number of processors per chip, the processor multithreading level, the sizes of on-chip data and instruction caches, and the number of required off-chip memory channels. Using the presented model, an optimal design can be obtained that maximizes the overall processing power per chip area. The presented results give an understanding of how to configure a network processor optimally and what effect changes in system parameters have on the overall performance.