Design And Implementation Of The Micro-engine Software Based On Network Processor For A Multi-network Gateway

As the pivot to the Internetworking for all kinds of networks, the gateway is an important network device which is responsible for connecting a number of heterogeneous networks seamlessly to perform the functions of protocols conversion. The traditional gateway brings a good performance at the cost of loss in flexibility because its core hardware is based on Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). The multi-net gateway on the basis of network processor is a new type of“software programmable”network device with multiple functions integrated into one entity. Having diverse types of interfaces, the multi-net gateway is capable of supporting a variety of routing protocols and connecting many kinds of heterogeneous networks together. Therefore, it is of utmost significance to study the multi-net gateway based on the network processor.On the basis of the project that named“research on the key technology and prototype of multi-net gateway”, this dissertation first introduces the hardware architecture, software portability framework of Intel Internet Exchange Architecture (IXA) as well as software development environment for IXP2350 network processor. It also analyzes several key technologies and chooses a microengine programming model. Secondly, this dissertation puts forward the software implementation scheme of the multi-net gateway on the basis of the hardware platform investigated by the whole project group, and focuses on studying the software design and implementation of microblocks on the data plane, such as packet receive and transmit microblocks, encapsulation and decapsulation microblocks together with IPv4 packet forwarder microblock. Meanwhile, the design scheme of ATM/AAL5 processing microblocks has also been fulfilled in the dissertation. Finally, this dissertation is devoted to the software simulation and function verification for the multi-net gateway platform through the design and implementation of a packet forwarding system. The work made in this dissertation provides a good technical foundation for the further development of network processor software system.