Network Processing Forum
The Network Processing Forum (NPF) was organized to facilitate and accelerate the development of next-generation networking and telecommunications products based on network processing technologies. The NPF produces Hardware, Software, and Benchmark Interoperability Agreements. These agreements enable equipment manufacturers to lower their time to market and development cost by enabling a robust, multi-vendor ecosystem. It also lowers the total cost of ownership of systems based on their interoperability agreements by enabling investments in test and verification infrastructure as well as enabling competition.
History of the NPF
The organization was formed to build on the efforts of two former industry groups, the Common Programming Interface Forum (CPIX) and the Common Switch Interface Consortium (CSIX). Misha Nossik of Solidium, later acquired by Integrated Device Technology was the first President of the NPF. Many of the original meetings were held in the Drake Hotel in Chicago, Illinois.
Organizational Form
The NPF is a member-managed non-profit corporation and operates as a contribution-driven, parlimentary industry forum.
Hardware Interoperability Agreements
The Lookaside Interface (LA) is used by Network Processing Elements (NPE)s to access Network Search Elements, of which CAMs are an example. The Streaming Interface (NPF-SI) is used by NPEs to talk to each other and to framing devices and to switching devices.
Software Interoperability Agreements
Service Application Programing Agreements, (SAPI)s, provide an API to configure or use a service. Functional APIs, (FAPI)s, are used to configure or use a low level functional block.
Benchmarking Interoperability Agreements
The NPF has created benchmarks for IP forwarding, IPSEC performance, MPLS forwarding, and switch fabric performance.
Joint Projects
The NPF specified a High Availability framework and service API in conjunction with the Service Availability Forum (SAF).