Memory management for embedded network applications

In embedded network applications, typically a very large part of the area c ost is due to memory units. Also the power for such applications is heavily dominated by the storage and transfers. Given its importance, we have deve loped a systematic memory management methodology in which the storage relat ed issues are optimized as a first step, In this paper, we present our meth odology for embedded network applications. It includes both a dynamic memor y management stage, where the data types and virtual memory managers are de fined, and a physical memory management stage, where the custom memory arch itecture is defined. As demonstrated on an industrial example, the applicat ion of the methodology results in a heavily power and/or area optimized cus tom memory architecture for a given application.