SAN JOSE, Calif. – Intel Developer Forum – SnapGear Inc., a leader in embedded Linux security, today announced Linux platform support for network processors based on Intel XScale®. technology. SnapGear will add support for the Intel IXP2400, Intel IXP2800 and Intel IXP2850 network processors. The optimized Linux kernel provides wire speed throughput while delivering security functions such as firewall and multi-VPN support. The SnapGear offering will be available for these Intel processors in the fourth quarter of 2003.
The Intel IXP2XXX product line of network processors incorporate pipelined RISC micro-engines and cryptographic acceleration allowing wire speed fire-walling and VPN encryption up to 10Gbps. SnapGear’s embedded Linux distribution will enable a new range of modestly-priced network appliances boasting significant feature and performance benefits.
“Intel continues to focus on providing cost-effective, power-efficient network processor solutions that extend from small office equipment to service providers’ core switching equipment,” said Doug Davis, general manager, Intel Network Processor Division. “Working with companies like SnapGear helps ensure broad support for embedded Linux for networking appliances and secure Internet communications.”
Intel already ships SnapGear’s Linux distribution with development boards for the Intel IXP4XX network processor product line. SnapGear offers a development environment for OEM customers using Intel network processor configurations for security-hardened network appliances. SnapGear acts as an ODM (Original Device Manufacturer) for some of the world’s leading communications companies, offering turnkey product solutions for secure, Internet-ready communications. Developers can download the SnapGear embedded Linux distribution, including the proven uClinux microkernel distribution, free of charge at www.snapgear.org.
“Intel network processors give us a strategic advantage in developing tailored solutions for high-performance secure networking applications,” said Rick Stevenson, CEO of SnapGear. “The Intel network processor line coupled with our embedded Linux distribution has proven scalability. Customers don’t have to change their applications to take advantage of new processor architectures, improved performance, and advanced network security features.”
The second-generation network processors from Intel implements a unique network processing approach that allows a single stream packet/cell processing problem to be decomposed into multiple, sequential tasks that can be easily linked together. The hardware design uses fast and flexible sharing of data and event signals among threads and micro-engines to manage data-dependent operations among multiple parallel processing stages with low latency. Through this combination of flexible software pipelining and fast inter-process communication, network equipment vendors can deploy rich processing capability at OC-48/2.5 Gbps line rates.
About SnapGear Embedded Linux
SnapGear’s embedded Linux distribution represents state-of-the-art embedded Linux technology for deeply embedded microprocessors with or without MMU (memory management unit), an important advantage in allowing developers more choice in selection of processors for producing vertical ranges of products. SnapGear embedded Linux is unique in providing commercial quality tool chains and processor support in a freely downloadable open source format. For more information, visit www.snapgear.org.
About SnapGear, Inc.
SnapGear, a leader in embedded Linux security, provides design, engineering and fulfillment services for network appliances that ensure secure Internet communications for business. SnapGear, Inc. is an Affiliate Member with the Intel Communications Alliance, a community of communications and embedded developers and solution providers. For more information, please visit www.intel.com/go/ica.
About the Intel Communications Alliance
The Intel Communications Alliance is a membership-based alliance program comprised of communications and embedded developers and solution providers. Members are committed to providing a strategic supply line of standards-based solutions to the communications and embedded market segments. For more information, please visit: www.intel.com
SnapGear partners with OEM customers including Vivendi to deliver custom security solutions worldwide. It also distributes VPN/firewall security products through systems integrators in more than 40 countries. SnapGear’s engineering team has been instrumental in the development of uClinux, which has been ported to more than 100 chip architectures, as well as the pioneering implementation of Microsoft®’s PPTP VPN standard on Linux. SnapGear’s Embedded Linux distribution includes uClinux, which runs in more than 20 million devices globally. For more information, visit www.snapgear.com.”
Link: snapgear.com
