Product category:
Communications ICs (Wired)
News Release from: Zarlink Semiconductor | Subject: ZL50130
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 18 November 2003
Pseudo-wire chip cuts packet network
costs
The ZL50130 is the first Ethernet pseudo-wire processor for data services based on the industry's newest IP/Ethernet draft standard.
The ZL50130 is the first Ethernet pseudo-wire processor for data services based on the industry's newest IP/Ethernet draft standard The IETF's (Internet Engineering Task Force) PWE3 (pseudo-wire emulation edge-to-edge) working group has drafted a set of proposals for transparently tunnelling layer 2 traffic - such as Ethernet - across IP or MPLS (multiprotocol label switching)-based packet-switched networks by creating virtual LAN connections, called pseudo-wire connections
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 7 Feb 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Zarlink is addressing this emerging standard with the ZL50130 device, a dedicated single-chip, 128-link Ethernet pseudo-wire processor.
The device encapsulates Ethernet frames, including maximum-size frames, into IP or MPLS packets and transports them through a packet-switched network over pseudo-wires for reconstruction at the destination point.
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"Our ZL50130 processor delivers the highest-performance PWE3 processing capability in the industry, and it's easier and less costly to implement than software-based network processors", said Bruce Ernhofer, Product Manager, Packet Processors, Zarlink Semiconductor.
"The chip features integrated memory, which helps shrink equipment size and cost by supporting PWE3 applications with fewer devices".
Zarlink's ZL50130 chip is designed for a broad mix of network edge equipment, including switches, routers and integrated access devices.
When coupled with Zarlink's Ethernet switches, such as the ZL50408 device, multiple inputs can be aggregated with rate control.
Traditional LANs and PSNs operate as separate entities, with junction points that require constant attention from network administrators.
In the PSN, for example, routers are updated regularly to reflect changing LAN profiles, such as IP address additions or deletions.
At the enterprise, in/outbound PSN traffic requires special processing.
Pseudo-wire services reduce network management costs by improving LAN/PSN interoperation so that time-consuming router updates are unnecessary, and allowing multisite LANs to be managed as a single network.
Since pseudo wires are implemented on economical and flexible Ethernet equipment, service providers can deliver cost-effective data services with a wider range of bandwidth options than those offered by today's leased lines or virtual private networks.
The ZL50130 processor is fully compliant with the Martini draft standard for Ethernet pseudo wires (draft-ietf-pwe3-ethernet-encap) prepared by IETF's PWE3 working group.
Now in its final review stage, the standard is expected to be adopted by IETF in 2004.
The ZL50130 device provides simultaneous support for 128 edge-to-edge, wire-speed Fast Ethernet connections across PSN facilities.
Packets from a single LAN may be directed onto a single pseudo wire, or split across multiple connections based on source and destination addresses.
This capability allows enterprises to use pseudo-wire services to interconnect multiple sites over one LAN.
On its ingress, the device offers two Fast Ethernet ports, traffic from which is aggregated onto one Fast Ethernet output.
Advanced on-chip quality of service mechanisms, such as weighted fair queuing and strict priority, allow Zarlink's ZL50130 processor to support up to four different service classes.
With a flexible 32bit host CPU interface and application programming interface, the processor is easy to implement.
To reduce cost and footprint, the ZL50130 device includes sufficient onboard SRAM to support most PWE3 applications without external memory devices.
The ZL50130 PWE3 processor is now in production.
It is supported by a reference design and evaluation board, and offered in a 552-pin plastic ball grid array package.
In quantities of 1000, the ZL50130 is priced at US $62.50.
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