Stackable switches integrate 10/100BaseT receivers

-- EDN, 4/13/2000

The Prowler12M (AC1012SM), the first in the ProwlerSwitch family of stackable switches from Altima Communications, integrates 12 10/100BaseT transceivers and 1-Gbit uplink supporting both the gigabit media-independent interface and the 10-bit interface (picture). Each port can queue as many as 1024 packets at each of four priority levels. Advanced features include port mirroring; port trunking; half- and full-duplex flow control; virtual-LAN, SNMP, and RMON support; and switch management through the Spanning Tree Protocol. Voice-ready architectural features include address management of as many as 16,000 Unicast media-access-control addresses, 64,000 transmit queues, and as much as 8 Mbytes of packet buffer. Using the 6.4-Gbps wire-speed expansion bus and the gigabit uplink ports, the device can stack to create 26 units and as many as 192 ports. Manufactured using a 0.25-µm CMOS process technology, the device typically consumes less than 4W. Available in a 456-bump BGA, the Prowler12M costs $50 (10,000) and will be available in July.

Altima Communications, 1-408-453-3700, www.altimacom.com.

-by Nicholas Cravotta