What role FPGA server co-processors for virtual routing?

Part 2:  Accelerating virtual routing functions using FPGAs

IP routing specialists have announced first virtual edge router products that run on servers. These include Alcatel-Lucent with its Virtualized Service Router and Juniper with its vMX. Gazettabyte asked Alcatel-Lucent's Steve Vogelsang about the impact FPGA accelerator cards could have on IP routing.

Steve Vogelsang, IP routing and transport CTO, Alcatel-Lucent

The co-processor cards in servers could become interesting for software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualisation (NFV).

The main challenge is that we require that our virtualised network functions (vNFs) and SDN data plane can run on any cloud infrastructure; we can’t assume that any specific accelerator card is installed. That makes it a challenge.

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Cortina unveils multi-channel dispersion compensation chip

Cortina Systems has announced its latest electronic dispersion compensation (EDC) chip.  The CS4342 is a compact device that supports eight duplex 10 Gigabit-per-second (Gbps) links. 

"Some customers are doing 2,000 signals at 10 Gig across the backplane"

Scott Feller, Cortina 

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Reflections and predictions: 2011 & 2012 - Part 1

Gazettabyte has asked industry analysts, CEOs, executives and commentators to reflect on the last year and comment on developments they most anticipate for 2012.

"For 2012, the macroeconomy is likely to dominate any other developments"

Martin Geddes, telecom consultant @martingeddes

Sometimes the important stuff is slow-burning: we're seeing a continued decline in the traditional network equipment providers, and the rise in Genband, Acme, Sonus and Metaswitch in their place. Smaller, leaner, and more used to serving Tier 2 and Tier 3 operators and enterprise players and their lower cost structures. 

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Xilinx's 400 Gigabit Ethernet FPGA

Xilinx has detailed its latest 28nm CMOS Virtex-7 FPGA family that will support 400 Gigabit Ethernet on a single device. The Virtex-7HT completes the Virtex-7, joining the Virtex-7T and Virtex-7XT product families announced in June.

A single FPGA will support 400 Gigabit Ethernet duplex traffic. The FPGA can also support 4x100Gig MACs and 4x150Gbps Interlaken interfaces. Source: Xilinx

Why is it important?

Xilinx says its switch and router customers are more than doubling the traffic capacity of their platforms every three years. “They are looking for silicon that will support a doubling of capacity within the same form-factor and the same power budget,” says Giles Peckham, EMEA marketing director at Xilinx.  

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