ng, thread,
news this morning on the homesite:
amd.com
AMD SWITCHES INTO HIGH GEAR WITH VOICE-READY ETHERNET SWITCH
SOLUTIONS
--SwitchIT[tm] 10/100/1000 Mbps products provide silicon solutions for enterprise desktop
connectivity--
SUNNYVALE, CA--January 31, 2000--AMD today announced it is bringing voice-ready
switching to the enterprise desktop with the introduction of the SwitchIT[tm] portfolio of
Ethernet 10/100/1000 Mbps switch devices and reference platforms.
The SwitchIT F12 and SwitchIT F12M devices address today's changing enterprise network
market requirements, delivering switching technology benefits such as increased bandwidth,
security and the prioritization of time-critical traffic. AMD's SwitchIT technology provides a
complete system solution for switch manufacturers, and will enable network managers to
accelerate the transition to entirely switched enterprise networks. The SwitchIT devices are
the first in a planned portfolio of application aware ICs for the next generation of switching
systems.
"We are seeing the convergence of voice and data networks as a near-term reality," said Dr.
Laila Razouk, vice president of the Network Products Division at AMD.
"Network managers are preparing for the advent of a single network that will support all of
their traffic needs. Our application-aware switching technology is designed to meet the needs
of switched networks supporting many types of time-critical traffic. The SwitchIT products
cost-effectively integrate advanced features on a single device that would typically require a
number of chips," said Razouk.
The non-blocking SwitchIT devices provide one dozen 10/100 Mbps ports and one gigabit port
with integrated MAC functions, as well as an expansion port for multi-chip system solutions.
To support end-to-end priority, both SwitchIT devices have Quality of Service (QoS) built-in
to provide wire-speed prioritization of packets. Using industry standard techniques, the
switch devices prioritize traffic to ensure time-critical information is not delayed by lower
priority traffic such as e-mail or web inquiries.
The SwitchIT F12M device is a managed device with a cost-effective 16-bit microcontroller
interface. Delivering complete management capabilities, the SwitchIT F12M device enhances
network performance by supporting industry standard link aggregation (trunking), IP
multicast filtering, RMON, SNMP, Spanning Tree, VLAN, port mirroring and quality of
service. To accelerate system development, AMD is providing both reference designs and
license-free/royalty-free software to accompany this device. AMD is also providing its
SwitchIT Suite, a full management software package including a web-based user interface.
"Our management software enables the switch designer to quickly test and incorporate
management support into their networking equipment at no additional cost," said Peter
Newton, SwitchIT F12 and F12M devices product manager at AMD. "This is an important
advantage over other solutions."
Alternatively, the SwitchIT F12 device is a plug-and-play, unmanaged device that does not
require a CPU - even for features such as traffic prioritization.
"It's an attractive choice for enterprise network managers seeking a means to provide
additional desktop bandwidth and to differentiate their traffic at a very low cost," said Newton.
Complete System Solutions
The SwitchIT solutions portfolio also includes reference designs for both managed and
unmanaged switches. Reference designs include boards, schematics, bill of materials,
application notes, University of New Hampshire (UNH) test results, and FCC test results. In
addition to the SwitchIT chips, the reference designs include AMD NetPHY[tm] physical layer
devices, and processors for the SwitchIT F12M device, enabling a "one-stop" approach for the
entire system solution.
"We now have a very comprehensive Ethernet product portfolio for switch, controller and
PHY technology, positioning AMD as a strategic supplier for switch manufacturers seeking a
single source for their designs," said Michele McGregor, director of marketing for AMD's
Network Products Division. "AMD offers the total solution: the hardware, software and
reference designs that allow OEMs to more efficiently design these Ethernet devices into their
LAN switching systems."
SwitchIT Devices Are Key Technology Building Blocks
The SwitchIT F12 and F12M chips are key technology building blocks for future generation
voice-ready, policy-based enterprise networks. Additionally, the SwitchIT technology can be
applied to Ethernet solutions for carrier central office switches, PBX systems, and next
generation LAN/WAN devices.
Developed entirely by AMD, the SwitchIT products have a highly modular and extensible
programmable architecture, allowing for the rapid development of next- generation
derivative products, as well as custom designs for specific customer needs. The SwitchIT
product designs demanded new modeling techniques to accurately emulate a chip with the
complexity comparable to a sixth-generation microprocessor. AMD's SwitchIT project team
has produced more than 100 patentable advances in switch design and implementation.
Package and Availability
The SwitchIT F12M Am79C720 and F12 Am79C721 devices will be available direct through
AMD and authorized AMD distributors in a 420-pin BGA. The SwitchIT F12 Am79C720
device is priced at $ 49 in 10K-unit quantities. The SwitchIT F12 Am79C721 device is priced
at $ 39 in 10K-unit quantities. AMD is currently sampling both products with production
planned for March 2000.
Cautionary Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe
harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking
statements are generally preceded by words such as "plans," "expects," "believes," "anticipates"
or "intends." Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements in this release
involve risks and uncertainty that could cause actual results to differ materially from current
expectations. Forward-looking statements in this release about the SwitchIT F12 and
SwitchIT F12M devices include the risk that one or both will not achieve customer and
market acceptance. We urge investors to review in detail the risks and uncertainties in the
company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. |
