With a goal of boosting already robust network processor market segment sales, Intel today announced two new families of network processor units (NPUs) for traditional communications applications and for the emerging embedded networking segment.

Network processors in traditional communications systems help to power many access and edge networking applications such as DSLAMs, wireless access switches and enterprise router line cards. Now, Intel's NPUs are also being used in embedded networking applications in industrial automation environments - instead of custom components. The benefit to equipment manufacturers is a faster time-to-market with customizable components.

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