The NetFPGA platform enables researchers and
instructors to build working prototypes of
high-speed, hardware-accelerated networking
systems. The platform can be used in the
classroom to teach students how to build
Ethernet switches and Internet Prototcol (IP)
routers using hardware rather than software.
The platform can be used by researchers to
prototype advanced services for
next-generation networks.
The NetFPGA is an open platform and
available to developers worldwide. Reference
designs included with the system include an
IPv4 router, an Ethernet switch, and a
four-port NIC. Researchers have used the
platform to build advanced network flow
processing systems. A single NetFPGA board
can route packets over four subnets, and
multiple NetFPGA boards can be installed in
the same PC.
The system consists of a reprogrammable
development board, reference implementations,
and sample courseware. The development board
itself is a PCI card that can be installed
in any PC with an available full-length slot.
Hosted on the board are a user-programmable
FPGA (with two PowerPC processors), SRAM,
DRAM, and four 1Gbps Ethernet ports.
Programming and administration of the
development board are performed by the host
PC via the PCI bus. This allows users to
remotely develop and deploy designs since
physical access to the board is not required.
Accent Technology offers pre-assembled
NetFPGA computer systems as approved by
Stanford University. These pre-built and
completely tested Linux-based computers are
available in a compact desktop cube or
standard 1U rack-mountable server
configuration. Let Accent Technology
streamline the process of getting the
NetFPGA up and running quickly. Visit their
NetFPGA products page to learn more and
receive a quote.
Documentation, gateware, and Linux device
drivers are available on-line from at
http://netfpga.org.
