The possibility always exists that the services will not be adopted or will need modification while in the field. As a result, ASICs are not a viable platform for implementing DiffServ. Altera's PLD solution provides the flexibility to implement new proprietary features and perform remote in-field upgrades. Time to Market Time to market is especially important when developing DiffServ-enabled routers. Altera provides programmable logic and IP solutions for designers who cannot afford ASIC turnaround times.
Some aspects require complex decision making and calculations.
Other aspects need fast, efficient implementation in logic. DiffServ lends itself to the combination of logic and processor solutions. Classifier The classifier separates a stream of incoming packets into classes. The CAM-RAM table lookup example below shows how to determine the priority using the source IP address. In the figure below, a simple classification lookup function is implemented in an Altera APEX II device.