Editor: Linley
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The new edition of A Guide to Security and Content Processors will soon be available. Are you up to date on the latest in IPSec and SSL accelerators? Do you have the inside story on who's integrating high-throughput encryption or developing content-processing solutions? For more information, visit our web site. Stacking Comes to GbE Switch Chips for SMB At Interop this month, Vitesse and Marvell rolled out new stackable Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) switch chips for the small-to-medium business segment. Vitesse introduced the E-StaX-34, the company's first stackable GbE switch chip. The E-StaX-34 is a 28-port switch with 24 GbE ports and four multimode stacking ports, which operate in either standard GbE mode or a proprietary VStaX mode. Operating at 2.5Gbps each, a pair of ports combines to form a 5Gbps stack connection. The integrated serdes support this 2.5Gbps link rate over a low-cost cable based on the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) specification used in consumer video products. The E-StaX-34 is a Layer 2 design intended for smart-switch applications. Marvell's new switch, the Prestera-DX249, is a 24xGbE design with a pair of dedicated 5Gbps stacking ports. Like the Vitesse chip, for each stacking port the DX249 uses a pair of integrated serdes links that support HDMI-style cables. Unlike Vitesse, Marvell already offered enterprise-class switch chips such as the DX270 with 12Gbps stacking ports; the DX249 delivers a comprehensive Layer 2 feature set at lower cost. Marvell and Vitesse complete their switch designs with PHY chips and CPUs. Marvell's 24xGbE design requires six Alaska quad-PHY chips plus a LinkStreet ARM9 processor. Vitesse integrates an ARM9 CPU in the E-StaX-34 and requires only three octal-PHY chips for a 24xGbE design. Although neither vendor announced switch-chip pricing, Vitesse has a clear integration advantage that should result in lower system cost. Both vendors replace the expensive and bulky CX4/InfiniBand-style stacking cables used in existing switch designs (with 10/12Gbps stacking ports). The downside of HDMI-style cabling is that the connectors lack a mechanical lock to prevent inadvertent disconnections. In the SMB market, where cost is paramount, customers may be able to live with this limitation. —Bob Additional
coverage of Marvell and Vitesse GbE chips appears in our report
A Guide to Gigabit and 10G Ethernet Silicon. Last month, Fibre Channel HBA leader Emulex announced it will acquire startup Aarohi Communications for $39 million. Aarohi is shipping the AV150 storage processor, which targets FC SANs, to McData and other customers. The startup is developing a second-generation device, code-named Raptor, that targets IP SANs. The Aarohi processors can be programmed to perform functions such as virtualization, replication, and backup, adding intelligence to the SAN and offloading the storage server. Aarohi's management team, including CEO Ameesh Divatia, expect to stay on, becoming a separate division of Emulex. Although the acquisition price merely matches the amount of money invested in the company, becoming part of Emulex will strengthen the Aarohi team and products, as the team can now leverage Emulex's sales channels and infrastructure. While Emulex has been strong in FC HBAs and switching, the storage giant has had difficulty adapting to emerging SAN trends such as virtualization and IP storage. The company's acquisition of failed iSCSI startup Trebia has not produced a strong product. The proven Aarohi technology, in contrast, will allow Emulex to address these growing storage trends, before it falls behind its faster-moving competitors. —Linley Complete coverage of Aarohi and Emulex appears in our report A Guide to Storage Networking Silicon.
Join us on June 14 at the DoubleTree Hotel in San Jose for a Linley Tech seminar on High-Speed Interconnects. The program will kick off with a technology and market overview by Jag Bolaria, senior analyst with The Linley Group. The morning session will address board-level interconnects, while the afternoon session will concentrate on system-level interconnects. The seminar wraps up with a panel on interconnect trends. Afterward, join us for a networking reception complete with exhibits. We have an outstanding lineup of technical presenters, including:
The seminar is free to qualified individuals who register early. For complete details and registration information, visit our web site. Free admission courtesy of our sponsors: AMCC, Freescale, StarGen, Tundra, PLX, IDT, Dune, Pericom, and The Linley Group. To receive The Linley Wire via e-mail, click here
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