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Network Processors

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Our WinPath® network processor family is purposely designed and optimized for access networks and Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) devices. WinPath network processors integrate programmable data plane and control plane processing components to maximize the value of software. They also support an extensive set of networking protocols for carrier-grade switch and router applications.

WinPath Data Plane

  • Dedicated WinGines Network Processor (NPU) as the basis for programmable data path, packet processing and forwarding and also Software-Defined Networking (SDN)/OpenFlow pipeline
  • Balanced and symmetric multiprocessor and multithreading architecture
  • Strategically placed hardware accelerators including Internet Protocol Security (IPSec)
  • Internal SRAM and external DDR3 SDRAM to buffer large amount of burst traffic

WinPath Control Plane

  • General-purpose MIPS® cores
  • L1 and L2 cache

WinPath Data Plane Interfaces

  • Packet: Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, Packet Over SONET-Physical Layer (POS-PHY), System Packet Interface Level 3 (SPI3)
  • Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)
  • Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM):  Plesiochronous Digital Hierarchy (PDH), Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH)

Network Processor Products

WinPath3

The third generation of WinPath products supports a broad set of protocols including interworking (MPLS, IPv4/IPv6 routing, VLAN-aware bridging), QoS (policing, shaping, per-flow queuing, WRED), synchronization (IEEE® 1588 v2, SyncE), OAM (Ethernet, MPLS), L2VPN, L3VPN, PWE3 and more.

Key Features:

  • 15M packets per second
  • 16 Gigabit Ethernet SGMIIs
  • 16 TDIs supporting T1/E1/T3/E3
  • EMPHY interface for connection to UFE412

WinPath3 SuperLite

WinPath3-SuperLite (WP3-SL) provides a powerful, yet lower-cost WinPath3 solution for L2/L3 and multi-service processing in the CPE market. It is 100% software compatible with WinPath3.

Key Features:

  • 6 Gigabit Ethernet, 24 Fast Ethernet interfaces
  • 16 TDM interfaces
  • Low power consumption
  • 27 mm × 27 mm 672 FCBGA package

WinPath4

As the fourth generation of WinPath products, WinPath4 continues the carrier-grade Ethernet focus of its predecessors and features more than four times the performance of WinPath3.

Key Features:

  • 4 10 Gigabit Ethernet MACs
  • 24  Gigabit Ethernet interfaces (SGMII or QSGMII)
  • 12 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet SGMIIs
  • 12 10/100 SS-SMIIs or 4 RGMIIs
  • 48 WinGines running at 500 MHz

UFE412

UFE412 is a companion device to WinPath3 to enable TDM, ATM, HDLC, PPP, and CES protocols and services on channelized and clear-channel STM-1/STM-4/OC-3/OC-12.

Key Features:

  • CES, ATM, HDLC, POS pre-processing
  • 4 OC3/STM-1 or 1xOC-12/STM-4 ports
  • Up to 1K channels, ranging from a single DS0 to full OC-12c/STM-4
  • Any service, any channel

Network Processor Ecosystem

Our network processor offering is closely integrated with key technology partners. We have developed collaborative expertise with leading providers of network architecture, control plane design, network software or ODM/OEM solutions.

Learn More

Selection Table

Features WinPath3 WinPath3 SuperLite WinPath4
Switching 10 Gbps 4 Gbps 40 Gbps
15 Mpps 6 Mpps 60 Mpps
Gigabit Ethernet Ports 16 S/R/GMII 6 S/R/GMII 24 Q/SGMII
2.5 Gigabit Ethernet Ports 8 SGMII 3 SGMII 12 SGMII
10 Gigibit Ethernet Ports 2 XAUI - 4 XAUI
T1/E1 Ports 16 16 16
MIPS® Core 700 MHz ×2 650 MHz ×1 825 MHz ×2
Memory 2.5 MB RAM +
3 DDR3		 0.75 MB RAM +
2 DDR3		 8.5 MB RAM +
7 DDR3
STM-1/STM-4 Yes (with UFE412) - -
Encryption Engine 2 1 2
Package 31 × 31 mm2 27 × 27 mm2 40 × 40 mm2
Typical  Core Power < 10W < 4W < 16W
Applications 10 Gigabit Ethernet access Gigabit Ethernet access 10 Gigabit Ethernet access/aggregation

Block Diagram

WinPath is a fully programmable solution with integrated CPU and NPU subsystems.

  • CPU System
  • General-purpose MIPS® core
  • Runs user OS and applications
  • Initializes and configures NPU system
  • Supports for cache, Flash, I2C, UART, host bus, INT, timer etc.
  • NPU System
  • Balanced and symmetric multi-processor and multi-threading architecture
  • Runs micro code in program RAM
  • Assisted by various hardware accelerators
  • IPSec, Traffic Management, Classification, Policing, and more
  • Optimized for L2/L3 packet processing and forwarding
  • Supports for Ethernet, IP, TDM and ATM interfaces

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