Router Architecture: the Evolution and Developing Trends

With the fast development towards super-high speed data rates and large capacity in Internet transmission networks, as a fundamental equipment, the backbone router has developed with higher and higher line rates, heavier and heavier port density, at the same time, better and better architecture. In this paper the evolution history of router's architecture since the router came into being is summarized, and the newest fourth generation router architecture and related key technical problems that must be solved are discussed. Finally the developing trends in this area is presented.