Nokia Touts NPU for Internet's Next Chapter

　　Claiming capabilities that will enable the next phase of Internet evolution, Nokia on Wednesday (June 14) unveiled its next-generation service routers, based on a network processor capable of an eye-popping 2.4 Tb/s performance.

　　The chip, the Nokia FP4, is implemented in a 16nm FinFET process—two full nodes ahead of its predecessor, the 40nm FP3. Nokia bills the FP4 as "the world's first multi-terabit chipset" and claims it is up to six times more powerful than any processor currently available despite relatively low power consumption.

　　Speaking at a launch event here Wednesday, Basil Alwan president of the IP/Optical Networks business unit at Nokia, offered an ambitious blueprint for the FP4's potential impact on the continuing evolution of the Internet, and the onset of what he termed "cloud-scale routing." He said the chipset offers the performance and heightened security to enable further transformations of the Internet and the Cloud, including immersive communications, the Internet of Things (IoT) and the growth of applications that leverage artificial intelligence.

　　"It's fundamental innovation for cloud-scale routing," Alwan said, adding that the FP4 "meets all the requirements for the next chapter of Internet growth."

　　Ken Kutlzer, vice president of hardware engineering and hardware product management for Nokia's IP/optical networking business unit, speaks at the product unveiling in San Francisco Wednesday.

　　Ken Kutlzer, vice president of hardware engineering and hardware product management for Nokia's IP/optical networking business unit, speaks at the product unveiling in San Francisco Wednesday.

　　The FP4 represents Nokia's push to leverage its strength in edge routing to making a meaningful dent in the core router market that has long been dominated by Cisco Systems and Juniper Networks. It powers Nokia's new "petabit-class" 7950 Extensible Routing System for core routing, claimed by the company to be the world's highest capacity router.

　　According to Ray Mata, CEO and principal analyst at ACG Research, Nokia has gained enough credibility with network operators through its success in edge routing — where it is the No. 2 player —  to make some noise in the critical core routing market, where performance and reliability are paramount.

　　"This gives an opportunity for Nokia to enter into that arena and potentially increase their total available market," Mata said.