Srinivasa Addepalli
Intoto


As the CTO and Chief Architect at Intoto, a leading provider of security software for network infrastructure equipment, Srinivasa Addepalli believes utilizing multi-core chips will increase the performance of his products and better prepare customers for the security threats of the future.

"The threat of new attack possibilities requiring deep data inspection has exponentially increased," says Addepalli. "So, this naturally calls for high-performing security products utilizing more advanced, powerful techniques." Addepalli says that in the past, preparing for such attacks was difficult due to limitations in processor power. But with multi-core processors replacing older, special-purpose architectures, companies like Intoto are developing security software that is affordable and flexible, allowing customers to efficient stay ahead of the ever-changing threat environment.

According to Addepalli, multi-core processor based systems are becoming more and more competitive against proprietary ASIC-based systems from both a time-to-market and cost point of view. "You tune the software to best utilize the cache and memory that's available on the multi-core processor, and that gets you the performance you need without having to build an ASIC," says Addepalli. "

In fact, Addepalli finds that multi-core processors actually offer a significant increase in performance over special-purpose architecture. "Instead of multiple distinct processors sharing the load among themselves, you can use one single processor with multiple cores, says Addepalli. And if you effectively utilize the cores, you can get higher performance." Case in point, Intoto’s iGateway™ Firewall set a new industry performance standard in September 2007 as the first firewall to deliver up to 16 Gigabits per second (Gbps) throughput using Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® processor 5300 series.

General purpose multi-core processor programming also require fewer skill sets which enables telecom companies to more easily engineer product platforms. "With multi-core, we’re seeing the same software code base being used across the market," says Addepalli. "And that’s simplifying the skill sets that engineers need to support these platforms."

"Multi-core is a phenomenon that’s not just another new chip…it’s going to change the future of datacom and telecom products," says Addepalli.