Multi-core processors enhance flexibility for next-gen networking, communications

NetLogic Microsystems, Inc. has announced what it claims to be the industry’s first open–source Xen hypervisor for high-performance multi-core MIPS64 processors. The new XEN hypervisor enables highly efficient virtualization for next-generation communications, networking and server platforms using the XLP and XLP II multi-core, multi-threaded processors.

The Xen hypervisor is a fast and secure infrastructure virtualization solution that enables multiple instances of the same or different operating systems on a single processor. Each operating system will not only run completely independently, but also securely so that the software running on one operating system is protected from that on another operating system. Multiple applications, therefore, can run on a single processor, but operate completely independently from each other. This allows developers the opportunity to create compact, multi-function systems solutions that take full advantage of multi-core processors while minimizing power consumption.

NetLogic’s XLP and XLP II multi-core, multi-threaded processors feature an innovative quad-issue, quad-threaded and superscalar architecture with out-of-order execution capabilities. This unique architecture makes the XLP and XLP II processor families ideally suited for the virtualization of multiple applications and multiple operating systems on each of the high-performance cores. The flagship XLP processor family in 40nm operates at up to 2GHz and delivers cache-coherent scalability of up to 128 NXCPUs, while the next-generation XLP II processor family is designed for up to 2.5GHz and scalable up to 640 NXCPUs.

The Xen hypervisor is a thin software layer that resides between the operating system and the processor, thus providing an abstraction layer that allows each processor to run as multiple virtualized processors. It is also freely accessible through the Xen open-source community.


NetLogic Microsystems, Inc.