<p>The fast-changing communications market requires high-performance yet flexible network-processingplatforms. StepNP is an exploratory network processor simulation environment for exploring applications, multiprocessor network-processing architectures, and SoC tools. Supporting model interaction, instrumentation, and analysis, the platform lets R&D teams easily add new processors, coprocessors, and interconnects.</p>

E. Bensoudane, C. Pilkington and P. Paulin, "StepNP: A System-Level Exploration Platform for Network Processors," in IEEE Design & Test of Computers, vol. 19, no. , pp. 17-26, 2002.
doi:10.1109/MDT.2002.1047740