diff --git a/examples/ioat/ioatfwd.c b/examples/ioat/ioatfwd.c
index 977ea6a61..3a092c6cf 100644
--- a/examples/ioat/ioatfwd.c
+++ b/examples/ioat/ioatfwd.c
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 #include <rte_rawdev.h>
 #include <rte_ioat_rawdev.h>
 
-/* size of ring used for software copying between rx and tx. */
+ /* size of ring used for software copying between rx and tx. */
 #define RTE_LOGTYPE_IOAT RTE_LOGTYPE_USER1
 #define MAX_PKT_BURST 32
 #define MEMPOOL_CACHE_SIZE 512
@@ -89,6 +89,142 @@ static struct rte_ether_addr ioat_ports_eth_addr[RTE_MAX_ETHPORTS];
 static struct rte_eth_dev_tx_buffer *tx_buffer[RTE_MAX_ETHPORTS];
 struct rte_mempool *ioat_pktmbuf_pool;
 
+static void
+update_mac_addrs(struct rte_mbuf *m, uint32_t dest_portid)
+{
+	struct rte_ether_hdr *eth;
+	void *tmp;
+
+	eth = rte_pktmbuf_mtod(m, struct rte_ether_hdr *);
+
+	/* 02:00:00:00:00:xx - overwriting 2 bytes of source address but
+	 * it's acceptable cause it gets overwritten by rte_ether_addr_copy
+	 */
+	tmp = &eth->d_addr.addr_bytes[0];
+	*((uint64_t *)tmp) = 0x000000000002 + ((uint64_t)dest_portid << 40);
+
+	/* src addr */
+	rte_ether_addr_copy(&ioat_ports_eth_addr[dest_portid], &eth->s_addr);
+}
+
+static inline void
+pktmbuf_sw_copy(struct rte_mbuf *src, struct rte_mbuf *dst)
+{
+	/* Copy packet metadata */
+	rte_memcpy(&dst->rearm_data,
+		&src->rearm_data,
+		offsetof(struct rte_mbuf, cacheline1)
+		- offsetof(struct rte_mbuf, rearm_data));
+
+	/* Copy packet data */
+	rte_memcpy(rte_pktmbuf_mtod(dst, char *),
+		rte_pktmbuf_mtod(src, char *), src->data_len);
+}
+
+/* Receive packets on one port and enqueue to IOAT rawdev or rte_ring. */
+static void
+ioat_rx_port(struct rxtx_port_config *rx_config)
+{
+	uint32_t nb_rx, nb_enq, i, j;
+	struct rte_mbuf *pkts_burst[MAX_PKT_BURST];
+
+	for (i = 0; i < rx_config->nb_queues; i++) {
+
+		nb_rx = rte_eth_rx_burst(rx_config->rxtx_port, i,
+			pkts_burst, MAX_PKT_BURST);
+
+		if (nb_rx == 0)
+			continue;
+
+		/* Perform packet software copy, free source packets */
+		int ret;
+		struct rte_mbuf *pkts_burst_copy[MAX_PKT_BURST];
+
+		ret = rte_mempool_get_bulk(ioat_pktmbuf_pool,
+			(void *)pkts_burst_copy, nb_rx);
+
+		if (unlikely(ret < 0))
+			rte_exit(EXIT_FAILURE,
+				"Unable to allocate memory.\n");
+
+		for (j = 0; j < nb_rx; j++)
+			pktmbuf_sw_copy(pkts_burst[j],
+				pkts_burst_copy[j]);
+
+		rte_mempool_put_bulk(ioat_pktmbuf_pool,
+			(void *)pkts_burst, nb_rx);
+
+		nb_enq = rte_ring_enqueue_burst(
+			rx_config->rx_to_tx_ring,
+			(void *)pkts_burst_copy, nb_rx, NULL);
+
+		/* Free any not enqueued packets. */
+		rte_mempool_put_bulk(ioat_pktmbuf_pool,
+			(void *)&pkts_burst_copy[nb_enq],
+			nb_rx - nb_enq);
+	}
+}
+
+/* Transmit packets from IOAT rawdev/rte_ring for one port. */
+static void
+ioat_tx_port(struct rxtx_port_config *tx_config)
+{
+	uint32_t i, nb_dq = 0;
+	struct rte_mbuf *mbufs_dst[MAX_PKT_BURST];
+
+	/* Deque the mbufs from rx_to_tx_ring. */
+	nb_dq = rte_ring_dequeue_burst(tx_config->rx_to_tx_ring,
+		(void *)mbufs_dst, MAX_PKT_BURST, NULL);
+
+	if (nb_dq == 0)
+		return;
+
+	/* Update macs if enabled */
+	if (mac_updating) {
+		for (i = 0; i < nb_dq; i++)
+			update_mac_addrs(mbufs_dst[i],
+				tx_config->rxtx_port);
+	}
+
+	const uint16_t nb_tx = rte_eth_tx_burst(tx_config->rxtx_port,
+		0, (void *)mbufs_dst, nb_dq);
+
+	/* Free any unsent packets. */
+	if (unlikely(nb_tx < nb_dq))
+		rte_mempool_put_bulk(ioat_pktmbuf_pool,
+		(void *)&mbufs_dst[nb_tx],
+			nb_dq - nb_tx);
+}
+
+/* Main rx and tx loop if only one slave lcore available */
+static void
+rxtx_main_loop(void)
+{
+	uint16_t i;
+	uint16_t nb_ports = cfg.nb_ports;
+
+	RTE_LOG(INFO, IOAT, "Entering main rx and tx loop for copy on"
+		" lcore %u\n", rte_lcore_id());
+
+	while (!force_quit)
+		for (i = 0; i < nb_ports; i++) {
+			ioat_rx_port(&cfg.ports[i]);
+			ioat_tx_port(&cfg.ports[i]);
+		}
+}
+
+static void start_forwarding_cores(void)
+{
+	uint32_t lcore_id = rte_lcore_id();
+
+	RTE_LOG(INFO, IOAT, "Entering %s on lcore %u\n",
+		__func__, rte_lcore_id());
+
+	lcore_id = rte_get_next_lcore(lcore_id, true, true);
+	rte_eal_remote_launch((lcore_function_t *)rxtx_main_loop,
+		NULL, lcore_id);
+}
+
 /* Display usage */
 static void
 ioat_usage(const char *prgname)
@@ -102,7 +238,7 @@ ioat_usage(const char *prgname)
 		"       - The destination MAC address is replaced by 02:00:00:00:00:TX_PORT_ID\n"
 		"  -c --copy-type CT: type of copy: sw|rawdev\n"
 		"  -s --ring-size RS: size of IOAT rawdev ring for hardware copy mode or rte_ring for software copy mode\n",
-	       prgname);
+		prgname);
 }
 
 static int
@@ -161,16 +297,16 @@ ioat_parse_args(int argc, char **argv, unsigned int nb_ports)
 	argvopt = argv;
 
 	while ((opt = getopt_long(argc, argvopt, short_options,
-				  lgopts, &option_index)) != EOF) {
+		lgopts, &option_index)) != EOF) {
 
 		switch (opt) {
-		/* portmask */
+			/* portmask */
 		case 'p':
 			ioat_enabled_port_mask = ioat_parse_portmask(optarg);
 			if (ioat_enabled_port_mask & ~default_port_mask ||
-					ioat_enabled_port_mask <= 0) {
+				ioat_enabled_port_mask <= 0) {
 				printf("Invalid portmask, %s, suggest 0x%x\n",
-						optarg, default_port_mask);
+					optarg, default_port_mask);
 				ioat_usage(prgname);
 				return -1;
 			}
@@ -204,7 +340,7 @@ ioat_parse_args(int argc, char **argv, unsigned int nb_ports)
 			}
 			break;
 
-		/* long options */
+			/* long options */
 		case 0:
 			break;
 
@@ -216,9 +352,9 @@ ioat_parse_args(int argc, char **argv, unsigned int nb_ports)
 
 	printf("MAC updating %s\n", mac_updating ? "enabled" : "disabled");
 	if (optind >= 0)
-		argv[optind-1] = prgname;
+		argv[optind - 1] = prgname;
 
-	ret = optind-1;
+	ret = optind - 1;
 	optind = 1; /* reset getopt lib */
 	return ret;
 }
@@ -253,6 +389,26 @@ check_link_status(uint32_t port_mask)
 	return retval;
 }
 
+static void
+assign_rings(void)
+{
+	uint32_t i;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < cfg.nb_ports; i++) {
+		char ring_name[RTE_RING_NAMESIZE];
+
+		snprintf(ring_name, sizeof(ring_name), "rx_to_tx_ring_%u", i);
+		/* Create ring for inter core communication */
+		cfg.ports[i].rx_to_tx_ring = rte_ring_create(
+			ring_name, ring_size,
+			rte_socket_id(), RING_F_SP_ENQ | RING_F_SC_DEQ);
+
+		if (cfg.ports[i].rx_to_tx_ring == NULL)
+			rte_exit(EXIT_FAILURE, "Ring create failed: %s\n",
+				rte_strerror(rte_errno));
+	}
+}
+
 /*
  * Initializes a given port using global settings and with the RX buffers
  * coming from the mbuf_pool passed as a parameter.
@@ -263,7 +419,7 @@ port_init(uint16_t portid, struct rte_mempool *mbuf_pool, uint16_t nb_queues)
 	/* configuring port to use RSS for multiple RX queues */
 	static const struct rte_eth_conf port_conf = {
 		.rxmode = {
-			.mq_mode        = ETH_MQ_RX_RSS,
+			.mq_mode = ETH_MQ_RX_RSS,
 			.max_rx_pkt_len = RTE_ETHER_MAX_LEN
 		},
 		.rx_adv_conf = {
@@ -294,14 +450,14 @@ port_init(uint16_t portid, struct rte_mempool *mbuf_pool, uint16_t nb_queues)
 		dev_info.flow_type_rss_offloads;
 	if (dev_info.tx_offload_capa & DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_MBUF_FAST_FREE)
 		local_port_conf.txmode.offloads |=
-			DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_MBUF_FAST_FREE;
+		DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_MBUF_FAST_FREE;
 	ret = rte_eth_dev_configure(portid, nb_queues, 1, &local_port_conf);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		rte_exit(EXIT_FAILURE, "Cannot configure device:"
 			" err=%d, port=%u\n", ret, portid);
 
 	ret = rte_eth_dev_adjust_nb_rx_tx_desc(portid, &nb_rxd,
-						&nb_txd);
+		&nb_txd);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		rte_exit(EXIT_FAILURE,
 			"Cannot adjust number of descriptors: err=%d, port=%u\n",
@@ -326,8 +482,8 @@ port_init(uint16_t portid, struct rte_mempool *mbuf_pool, uint16_t nb_queues)
 	txq_conf = dev_info.default_txconf;
 	txq_conf.offloads = local_port_conf.txmode.offloads;
 	ret = rte_eth_tx_queue_setup(portid, 0, nb_txd,
-			rte_eth_dev_socket_id(portid),
-			&txq_conf);
+		rte_eth_dev_socket_id(portid),
+		&txq_conf);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		rte_exit(EXIT_FAILURE,
 			"rte_eth_tx_queue_setup:err=%d,port=%u\n",
@@ -335,8 +491,8 @@ port_init(uint16_t portid, struct rte_mempool *mbuf_pool, uint16_t nb_queues)
 
 	/* Initialize TX buffers */
 	tx_buffer[portid] = rte_zmalloc_socket("tx_buffer",
-			RTE_ETH_TX_BUFFER_SIZE(MAX_PKT_BURST), 0,
-			rte_eth_dev_socket_id(portid));
+		RTE_ETH_TX_BUFFER_SIZE(MAX_PKT_BURST), 0,
+		rte_eth_dev_socket_id(portid));
 	if (tx_buffer[portid] == NULL)
 		rte_exit(EXIT_FAILURE,
 			"Cannot allocate buffer for tx on port %u\n",
@@ -354,13 +510,13 @@ port_init(uint16_t portid, struct rte_mempool *mbuf_pool, uint16_t nb_queues)
 	rte_eth_promiscuous_enable(portid);
 
 	printf("Port %u, MAC address: %02X:%02X:%02X:%02X:%02X:%02X\n\n",
-			portid,
-			ioat_ports_eth_addr[portid].addr_bytes[0],
-			ioat_ports_eth_addr[portid].addr_bytes[1],
-			ioat_ports_eth_addr[portid].addr_bytes[2],
-			ioat_ports_eth_addr[portid].addr_bytes[3],
-			ioat_ports_eth_addr[portid].addr_bytes[4],
-			ioat_ports_eth_addr[portid].addr_bytes[5]);
+		portid,
+		ioat_ports_eth_addr[portid].addr_bytes[0],
+		ioat_ports_eth_addr[portid].addr_bytes[1],
+		ioat_ports_eth_addr[portid].addr_bytes[2],
+		ioat_ports_eth_addr[portid].addr_bytes[3],
+		ioat_ports_eth_addr[portid].addr_bytes[4],
+		ioat_ports_eth_addr[portid].addr_bytes[5]);
 
 	cfg.ports[cfg.nb_ports].rxtx_port = portid;
 	cfg.ports[cfg.nb_ports++].nb_queues = nb_queues;
@@ -428,10 +584,19 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	if (cfg.nb_lcores < 1)
 		rte_exit(EXIT_FAILURE,
 			"There should be at least one slave lcore.\n");
+
+	assign_rings();
+
+	start_forwarding_cores();
+
+	/* force_quit is true when we get here */
+	rte_eal_mp_wait_lcore();
+
 	for (i = 0; i < cfg.nb_ports; i++) {
 		printf("Closing port %d\n", cfg.ports[i].rxtx_port);
 		rte_eth_dev_stop(cfg.ports[i].rxtx_port);
 		rte_eth_dev_close(cfg.ports[i].rxtx_port);
+		rte_ring_free(cfg.ports[i].rx_to_tx_ring);
 	}
 
 	printf("Bye...\n");
