| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/S68941/01 |
| Title: |
Higher-Level Languages for Network Processors |
| Principal Investigator: |
Mycroft, Professor A |
| Other Investigators: |
|
| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
|
| Project Partners: |
|
| Department: |
Computer Science and Technology |
| Organisation: |
University of Cambridge |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 May 2004 |
Ends: |
30 September 2007 |
Value (£): |
152,502
|
| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Fundamentals of Computing |
Networks & Distributed Systems |
|
| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
|
| Related Grants: |
|
| Panel History: |
|
|
Summary on Grant Application Form |
|
In the last few years various Network Processors (NPs) have appeared on the market. NPs typically contain both (i) custom hardware to support fastpath packet processing; and (ii) general purpose processor core(s) which allow them to perform arbitrarily complex services on behalf of network devices. It is widely accepted that the dual properties of high-performance and reprogrammability make modern NP hardware an ideal building block for programmable networks. However, the NP software development process leaves a lot to be desired: currently NPs are often programed in assembler, the highest-level tools available typically consist of vendor-specific C-like languages extended with intrinsics corresponding to underlying machine instructions. As a result, development of software for NPs is time-consuming, error prone and inaccessible to the average software applicationdeveloper.Our research addresses these problems by (I) developing high-level languages for programming network processors; and (ii) building their associated compilers. We will concentrate specifically on the design of NP-based edge-networks for ubiquitous devices since we believe that the diversity of services required in such an edge-network poses a number of unique challenges that are not adequately addressed by existing languages and tools. Both language- and systems-based approaches for dynamically reprogramming NPs will also be investigated.
|
|
Key Findings |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
|
Potential use in non-academic contexts |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
|
Impacts |
|
| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
|
| Date Materialised |
|
|
|
|
Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
| Project URL: |
|
| Further Information: |
|
| Organisation Website: |
http://www.cam.ac.uk |