Intel IXP1200

Fabricated by Intel Corporation, the IXP1200 is a network processor that was originally a Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) project that had been in development since late 1996. The processor was transferred to Intel in 1998 when parts of DEC’s Digital Semiconductor business was acquired by Intel as a part of an out-of-court settlement to end lawsuits each company had launched at each other for patent infringement. Intel retained the DEC design team and the design was completed by them. Samples of the processor were available for Intel partners since 1999 and the general sample availability started in late 1999. The processor was introduced in early 2000 at 166 and 200 MHz and a 232 MHz version was introduced later. Later, IXP2000, an XScale-based family developed entirely by Intel succeeded the processor.

Intended to replace the general-purpose embedded microprocessors and specialized application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) combinations used in network routers, the IXP1200 processor was designed for mid-range and high-end routers. The processor could be combined with others to increase the capability and performance of the router for the high-end models.

The IXP1200 integrates a StrongARM SA-1100-derived core and six microengines, which were RISC microprocessors with an instruction set optimized for network packet workloads. The StrongARM core performed non-real-time functions while the microengines manipulated network packets. The processor also integrates static random access memory (SRAM) and synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) controllers, a PCI interface and an IX bus interface.

The IXP1200 contains 6.5 million transistors and measures 126 mm2 and was fabricated in a 0.28 µm complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) process, with three levels of interconnect. Packaged in a 432-ball enhanced ball grid array (EBGA), the IXP1200 was fabricated at DEC’s former Hudson, Massachusetts plant.