Like many technologies introduced during the bubble years, network processors (NPUs) are perfect for applications that haven't materialized as quickly as originally envisioned. As a re -sult, the number of NPU suppliers has shrunk significantly over the past two years. However, the vendors that remain report business is finally picking up, thanks in large part to the advent of data-aware transport equipment. NPUs are programmable devices that can perform a variety of packet-processing functions, including classification, modification, queuing, management, and control. They aim to combine the flexibility of FPGAs with the manufacturing economics of ASICs, thus offering an alternative to both approaches.
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