Intel and IBM bring processing to the network

1999-09-02

Capitalising on the flurry of interest generated by their recent demonstrations of Linux and Microsoft operating systems running on real 64-bit silicon, Intel have announced a new foray into the networking chip market. And biting their heels are IBM, fresh from selling off a bunch of network technologies to Cisco. It makes sense.

Intel’s “niche market” is the Internet, where it aims to address the spiralling need for new services and network functionality. Existing products are very much about the lower layers of the stack, performing network-level functions such as routing, compression and bandwidth management. Higher level functionality such as management, voice/video processing, multimedia and graphics handling is usually addressed by operating system or application software. This separation is for two reasons: the first is that “this is how it has always been done” and the second (which derives from the first) is that network processors are currently limited in what they can do, being mainly ASICs in which the functionality is hard coded on the chip.

What Intel have proposed is a hybrid device which is optimised to work with networking hardware. The device is known as the Internet Exchange Processor or IXP. At its core is a StrongARM processor which is surrounded by a number of RISC-based microcontrollers. This means that the devices can be programmed to support both lower level and higher level services: the obvious advantage is that the programs can be more easily upgraded to support new technologies and service requirements. Also, a significant load is taken off the core processing capability of the machine. The IXP is designed to be linked with other IXPs, promising terabit throughput.

IBM have rushed out a similar announcement, clearly caught on the hop by Intel. How wrong we were yesterday, to say IBM were defocusing from network devices! Instead, it seems, the sale of technology to Cisco allows them to concentrate on network processors. This move is interesting: having lost the CPU battle to Intel, IBM see a fresh battlefield for the two companies, on which the winner is by no means decided.

The move by Intel and IBM makes a lot of sense. Technologically, the addition of serious processor capability to networking devices is long overdue. Both companies have the skills to integrate processor technologies with network technologies, plus both have the R&D budget to pay for their development. From a business perspective, Intel are not directly competing with the network equipment manufacturers, at least not yet, and as a result have forged alliances with a number of vendors. In this case, it is chip suppliers such as MMC who are the most likely to suffer as the Ciscos and Newbridges jump on what may well turn out to be another “Intel Inside” bandwagon. IBM are already building network devices such as routers and switches so the chances of partnership are limited. Winners and losers aside, the development is likely to be of benefit to end users, not least through the old stalwart of increased functionality and performance with reduced costs.

(First published 2 September 1999)