At Microprocessor Forum 2002, Cisco rewrote the history of the network processor with the first public disclosure of its Toaster3 (T3) network processor. Brought to life in Cisco's labs in June 2001, Toaster3 became the first NPU capable of processing a 10Gb/s datastream-some seven months before Terago claimed that title with its ProNP 5010 in January 2002. Although other vendors have since released 10Gb/s devices, Toaster3 is an important milestone in the progress of the network-processor market.

Cisco was in no rush to announce Toaster3. Toaster2 saw its first public disclosure in Microprocessor Report about eight months after the first Toaster2-based systems started shipping. Toaster3, the latest implementation of Cisco's parallel express forwarding (PXF) architecture, is shipping in Cisco networking equipment today, although the company's MPF2002 presentation did not disclose which systems contain the new chip.

Toaster3 will not directly affect the merchant market for network processors-except to preclude other NPU vendors from selling into some of the most popular networking systems in the world. By developing its own NPU, Cisco has made the job of independent NPU suppliers much more difficult. These other companies should be thankful for one small favor, at least: Cisco won't be selling Toaster3 against their products.

Track incoming Microprocessor Forum news by clicking here.