The parallel protocol engine

Abstract-The design and implementation of a multiproeessor-baaed communication subsystem-the Parallel Protocoi Engine (PPE)-for the parallel and pipelined execution of protocols are described. As an example, an implementation of the ISO 8802-2.2 Logicai Umk Control on a four-processor version of the PPE is presented and analyzed. The performance of the implementa-tion is more than 16000 ~pe 2 lnformztwn- PKrrar?olData units}% commensurate with emerging high+eed networks that operate in the 100 Mb/s range. The overaii end-to-end performance of an integrated system, where two workstations, each equipped with a PPE, communicate via a high-speed link, is then anatyzed and the probiems concerning the soft- and hardware interface to the PPE are presented. I. INTRODUCJ’JON