Packeteer readies faster generation of traffic-shaping gear

Packeteer Networks in a few weeks will be coming out with a faster generation of its traffic-shaping gear that eventually will reach 20Gbps throughput and perform more complex traffic analysis.

The next wave of gear is powered by Cavium Networks' multicore Octeon processors that will enable parsing packets to Layer 7 and analyze flows by application and type of transaction within applications, the company says.

The first new product will be an add-on box to boost the speed of the company's high-end PacketShaper appliances, which perform multiple functions to streamline traffic across WAN links including compression, traffic shaping, and TCP optimization.

Current PacketShapers top out at 1Gbps. The new device, code-named Turbo, can boost that to 6Gbps, the company says. In a year or so the company says it will release devices that reach 20Gbps.

The supplemental box is meant for customers that need faster devices but want to protect their current Packeteer investment, the company says. Pricing is not set, but it will be about one-third the price of an additional PacketShaper, Packeteer says.

Packeteer says it has been working for a year or so with Cavium evaluation boards and developers kits to design the new devices. The company will use Cavium's Octeon MIPS64 processors in the gear. Current Packeteer equipment is based on Intel processors.