INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 18, 2003 - Intel today announced an expanded suite of platforms, tools and enabling software for Intel® Internet Exchange Architecture (IXA) Network Processors. This enhanced development environment will help accelerate the development of modular solutions for the network access, edge and core segments of the telecommunications infrastructure industry.

"The communications industry is increasingly adopting network processors because they enable a modular approach resulting in greater reuse of development resources from one system design to another," said Doug Davis, general manager, Intel Network Processor Division. "Intel has assembled a comprehensive set of tools that simplify utilization of the performance and flexibility of our network processors and enable OEMs to devote their valuable development resources to adding new services that meet rapidly evolving network requirements."

Enhanced Development Environment

The expanded suite of hardware and software tools from Intel includes new development platforms based on the Advanced Telecom Computing Architecture* specification (AdvancedTCA) and the Intel® IXA Software Development Kit 3.1. The development platforms and enhanced software and services are designed to accelerate the development of equipment, such as DSL access multiplexers (DSLAMs), high-end routers, radio network controllers and multi-service switches. The Intel® IXP2XXX Architecture Tool, a performance estimation tool, will be available in the first half of 2004 as part of the Intel® IXA Software Development Kit.

Standards-based Platform Architecture

The new Intel® IXDP2401/2801/2851 development platforms use the AdvancedTCA specification to provide a standardized platform architecture for the development of carrier grade telecomm applications, enabling developers of network processor-based modular solutions to reduce development cost and time.

The platforms include development boards featuring the Intel® IXP2400, IXP2800 and IXP2850 network processors, I/O option cards and a chassis with additional slots for other AdvancedTCA boards, such as single board computers or switches. These development platforms enable OEMs to easily incorporate software, hardware and boards from Intel, members of the Intel® Communications Alliance and others, while supporting simultaneous hardware and software development. This means developers are able to prototype more complete systems earlier in their design cycles.

Expanded Software and Tools for Faster Deployment

The Intel® IXA Software Development Kit 3.1 has been enhanced with the inclusion of "example designs" that demonstrate key network processor features and programming methods for assembling low-level software building blocks into applications using Intel-based hardware.

"By using the Intel IXP2400 software and assistance, we were able to save substantial time and effort during our product developments," says Bei Jinsong, Network Division Project Manager, ZTE Corporation. "The application-specific code allowed us to quickly use the capabilities of the Intel IXP2400 network processor to maximum advantage."

Beginning next year, Intel plans to offer production-ready application kits that provide modular, standards-based software data-plane applications that are ready to integrate with customers’ control plane, management, and proprietary software. The kits can be combined with professional services from Intel® Communications Software Services or third-party software and services vendors in the Intel Communications Alliance to help customize Intel software for customer’s unique software or hardware requirements.

The Intel IXP2XXX Architecture Tool is a software model that lets developers estimate application performance, as well as processor and memory utilization prior to software development. Such "feasibility testing" early in the development cycle eliminates extensive recoding and improves performance optimization.