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Hands-on with the NetFPGA
to build a Gigabit-rate Router at
Indian Institute of Science (IISc)

Presented by: John W. Lockwood of the: High Performance Network Group at Stanford University
and
Kuruvilla Varghese of IISc.

Co-Hosted by Veena Kumar, Xilinx University Program, India.

Date: May 15-16, 2008
Time: 9am - 5pm

Location:
SMDP/Micro-electronics Lab, Room No: 207
Centre For Electronics Design and Technology
Indian Institute of Science
Bangalore, India

Abstract

An open platform called the NetFPGA has been developed at Stanford University. The NetFPGA platform enables researchers and instructors to build 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.

By using Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), the NetFPGA enables new types of packet routing circuits to be implemented and detailed measurements of network traffic to be obtained. During the tutorial, we will use the NetFPGA to determine the amount of memory needed to buffer TCP/IP data streaming through the Gigabit/second router. Hardware circuits within the NetFPGA will be implemented to measure and plot the occupancy of buffers. Circuits will be downloaded into reconfigurable hardware and tested with live, streaming Internet video traffic.

Background

Attendees will utilize a Linux-based PC equipped with NetFPGA hardware. A basic understanding of Ethernet switching and network routing is expected. Past experience with Verilog is useful but not required. This full-day tutorial extends the material presented at the Hot Interconnects tutorial and the SIGMETRICS tutorials in 2007. Photos from those events as well as a description of the NetFPGA Platform are available on-line from the http://NetFPGA.org/ homepage.

Outline

Presentation Slides

About the presentors