Asterfusion Data Technologies

What is P4 programming language? P4 is a domain-specific programming language used to describe how a programmable forwarding hardware processes packets, which can be an ASIC, a FPGA or a NIC and so on. The full mane P4 is  Programming Protocol-independent Packet Processors . P4 originally designed for programmable switches (especially for the ASIC), now P4 has expanded to many scenarios. In P4, the term “target” is used to refer to the hardware. A network device usually includes a control plane and a data forwarding plane. P4 is designed to be used to programming the target’s data plane. The foll o wing picture shows the difference between a traditional switch and a P4 programmable switch: In a traditional switch, ASIC determines what functions its data plane can support, the control plane is responsible for processing packets (such as routing protocol packets), processing asynchronous events (such as port up/down), etc. Its purpose is to control the forwarding behavior by correctl...

White box switch vendors include Pica8, IPInfusion,Agema Systems, FoxconnTechnology,  Edgecore Networks, Celestica,   Asterfusion data technologies  and others. With the continuous digital transformation in various industries, new demands such as “real-time”, “ on-demand” “always-on” and “ self-service” etc. are emerging. The construction of a comprehensive cloud network with DC as the core , becoming an important foundation to support the digital transformation of thousand industries on the network side. It also requires the cloud network to be more open, flexible,agile, programmable, visualized, automated and cost-effective. However, the traditional network equipment based on the “black box” architecture integrates software and hardware, has a high cost , low utilization rate, lack of agility and flexibility, and a long time for new functions expansion. It is difficult to adapt to the needs of future cloud network development. Nowadays,technology such as ...