Network Processor (NPU)
Formal
An integrated circuit which has a feature set specifically targeted at the networking application domain.
Practical
Modern-day network processors have developed from simple designs to complex ICs with programmable software and a variety of operations and manipulation functions on the data packet. Network processors are employed in the manufacturing of routers, network switches, packet inspection, session controllers, firewall, transmitter devices, error detection and prevention devices and network control software. With the web networking growing stronger, network processors play a significant role in managing an overloaded network with abundant traffic and rapid growth rate. Network processors play a key role in packet inspection, encryption, monitoring, traffic management and queue management in a large network.
