Network processing units (NPUs) will be the occasion of sweeping changes in the network hardware industry over the next few years. This new breed of microchip impacts chip designers like Intel, equipment vendors like Cisco, application developers like IBM and Morotola, and an army of software engineers who spent the last decade working on protocols and network management solutions.A thoroughly practical dissection of the early NPU market, this designers guide explains how network processors work and provides detailed information on all major commercial architectures, from features to design considerations. Comparative tables are a rich source of cross-industry info. Coverage includes traffic managers, classification chips, content-addressable memories, switch fabrics, security accelerators, storage coprocessors and NetASICs.