The Network Processing Forum (NPF) is an industry forum that was organized to facilitate and accelerate the development of next-generation networking and telecommunications products based on network processing technologies. The NPF was merged into the Optical Internetworking Forum in June 2006. The NPF produces Hardware, Software, and Benchmark Interoperability Agreements. These agreements enable equipment manufacturers to lower their time to market and development cost by enabling a robust, multi-vendor ecosystem. It also lowers the total cost of ownership of systems based on their interoperability agreements by enabling investments in test and verification infrastructure as well as enabling competition.
7-648: The organization was formed to build on the efforts of two former industry groups, the Common Programming Interface Forum (CPIX) and the Common Switch Interface Consortium (CSIX). Chuck Sannipoli then of IBM was the first chairman of the NPF. Misha Nossik then of Solidum Systems , later acquired by Integrated Device Technology was the second chairman of the NPF. Many of the original meetings were held in
14-657: A low level functional block. The following FAPIs have been approved by the NPF: The NPF has created benchmarks for IP forwarding, IPSEC performance, MPLS forwarding, and switch fabric performance. The NPF specified a High Availability framework and service API in conjunction with the Service Availability Forum (SAF). The NPF has also had extensive liaison activity with the Optical Internetworking Forum . In December 2004,
21-518: Is used by Network Processing Elements (NPE)s to access Network Search Elements , of which CAMs are an example. The Streaming Interface (NPF-SI) is used by NPEs to talk to each other and to framing devices and to switching devices. Service Application Programming Agreements, (SAPI)s, provide an API to configure or use a service. The following SAPIs have been approved by the NPF: Functional APIs, (FAPI)s, are used to configure or use
28-794: The Drake Hotel in Chicago, Illinois . The NPF was later absorbed by the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) in June 2006. The NPF is a member-managed non-profit corporation and operates as a contribution-driven, parliamentary industry forum. Russell Dietz of HiFn is the current chairman and Chuck Sannipoli representing IP Infusion is the vice-chairman. The NPF's board was composed of representatives of Ericsson , HiFn, IBM , Integrated Device Technology , Intel , IP Infusion, and PMC-Sierra . The Look-Aside Interface (LA)
35-570: The NPF became a founding member of the Mountain View Alliance, a consortium of consortia created to enable Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions. Chuck Sannipoli Charles Joseph Sannipoli (1945-2015) was an executive in the computer networking industry, having served for more than 3 decades in many roles. He held a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and
42-634: The vice president and general manager of the Network Processor Group at IP Infusion Inc. This is a firm which specialized in delivering software to the communications and networking marketplace. It was sold to the Japanese company Access in 2006. Sannipoli was instrumental in the creation of, and was the initial chairman of the Network Processing Forum (NPF), a position he held until his departure from IBM. The NPF
49-609: Was a Senior Member of the IEEE . He was a resident of North Carolina . Sannipoli completed a long career at IBM during which he held key senior management positions in the networking business area, spanning hardware and software research and development, as well as product and program management. He was involved in IBM's Rainier network processor development effort. He holds several patents and has patents pending in IBM's portfolio based on network processing technology. Sannipoli served as
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