Design And Implementation Of Multipath Load-balance System For NP-5 Network Processor

With the rapid development of Internet nowadays, the relationship between people and network is increasingly close, Internet is everywhere in people's life. The related technology is also developing and changing very fast. The device for ISP needs high performance and high reliability which can forward a large number of data packets. Besides, the device needs a certain degree of flexibility to ensure the device can adapt the rapid development of network technology. Network processor achieves a balance between high performance and flexibility. The core router uses network processor as the data forwarding engine has became mainstream.The core function of router is forwarding data packets. Core router requires high reliability and high performance of forwarding. Multi-path load balance technology can increase both reliability and performance. The use of the technology can also eliminate some of the constraints from the link layer technology. The technology uses the whole bandwidth to forward packets, which can forward packets more than the bandwidth of one link.The multi-path load balance system is designed and implemented for the router which uses EZchip NP-5 network processor as the forwarding engine. There are two kinds of multi-path technology, including equal cost multi-path routing and link aggregation. The system is designed to uses all the available paths to forward packets. Including uniform distribution and distribution based on the link's bandwidth. The system is divided into two modules: NP driver module and data forwarding modulo. The NP driver module is mainly maintenance the tables. The data forwarding modulo is mainly process the data packets. The tables are the guidance when process the data packets, the NP-5's API and the development tools help with the maintenance of the tables and the processing of the packets. The algorithm of load balance is modulo-n hash, it's a simple and effective way and it can maintain the order of a “flow”.Finally, the system tests results are carried out. The tests' results show that the system meets the functional requirements and the performance requirements.The system achieves the initial design target.