Network Processor (NP) is a programmable device which is optimized for packet processing. In this research, Layer-four dispatcher, one of the most typical network applications, was implemented. By some experiments, the performance on network application is evaluated compared to general purpose processors and the question: “Is NP good solution for general network application?” is investigated using IXP1200 of Intel, one of NP. Because most NPs have same structure, the conclusion of this research can be adapted to other NPs. To have better performance in network applications for NP, the packet processors in it should be faster, and structure for reducing memory latency is needed.
