News and New Products

Switch chip mixes security, wireless, and IPv6 support

By Maury Wright -- EDN, 2/17/2005

Pushing its leadership position in Ethernet switches, Broadcom has just launched an Ethernet-switch architecture and the first chips based on that architecture. The StrataXGS III architecture features a 72-Gbps packet-processing engine that integrates security features and the ability to route and switch IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6) packets at wire speed. The engine can process more than 100 million packets/sec. The first chips based on the design, the 500 Series, includes the flagship BCM56504 with 24 GbE (Gigabit Ethernet) ports and four 10GbE (10 Gigabit Ethernet) ports.

Broadcom claims the 24+4-port mix is critical in many applications and will provide the company a continuing advantage over competitors Marvell, Agere, and Vitesse, which don’t offer chips with four 10GbE ports. Four ports support applications in which IT managers stack multiple switches to expand capacity. Two of the 10 GbE ports connect to adjacent switches, and the other two provide redundant uplink connections to the enterprise network.

Security features in the 500 Series include a one-time programmable root key that makes encryption bulletproof and meets the requirements of the FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) 140-2. The government is also mandating IPv6 support in all equipment that it buys. Realistically, however, widespread conversion to IPv6 is still years away.

Broadcom developed the IPv6 layers 2- and 3-capable architecture with seamless Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) support in mind. Today, most Wi-Fi networks operate as independently managed and implemented islands that connect to the edge of the enterprise network. IT managers, however, are demanding networks that can connect to wired and wireless clients with the promise of secure communications. The Series 500 design supports Wi-Fi roaming at the Layer 3 level and QOS (quality-of-service) features for devices such as VOIP (voice-over-IP) Wi-Fi phones. The integrated wireless support allows IT managers to deploy low-cost Wi-Fi access points connected to any port on the enterprise network.

Broadcom will target the Series 500 at the stackable-enterprise-switch market. Available for sampling now, the BCM56504 will sell for $495 (10,000). According to various analysts, Broadcom owns 60 to 80% of the switch-chip market, not including ASICs that equipment manufacturers design. The new family should allow the company to maintain a leadership position. Broadcom also hopes to push the design into applications such as DSL in which Ethernet is starting to challenge ATM.

Broadcom Corp, 1-949-450-8700, www.broadcom.com.