Data-driven implementation of TINA kernel Transport Network

To realize the actual TINA-based telecommunications network, the performance of the kernel Transport Network (kTN) such as availability, reliability, throughput and load tolerance becomes more crucial than for existing computer networks. The authors have been studying and developing a super-integrated data-driven processor to be applied to the TINA kTN nodes and network interfaces in CUE (Coordinating Users´ requirements and Engineering constraints) project. Since the processor is primarily designed to be a scalable VLSI component, it is easily interconnected to form a super-integrated chip and multi-chip system for achieving the performance and reliability demanded in a TINA environment. We first examine the requirements for kTN. A stream-oriented data-driven architecture is then proposed with special emphasis on effective multiprocessing capability with overload tolerance. After that, we demonstrate that autonomous load balancing among super-integrated data-driven processors without adding any runtime overhead to achieve effective and reliable multiprocessing is possible by utilizing the overload tolerance of the processor. Finally, this paper shows preliminary performance estimations of the super-integrated data-driven processor being developed to perform efficient multiprocessing in protocol handling such as TCP/IP.