Power over LAN supply shrinks to DIMM format

PowerDsine has released its new Power over LAN dual inline memory module (PoL-DIMM) technology, based on its embedded, IEEE 802.3af-compliant Power over LAN ASIC.

PowerDsine has released its new Power over LAN dual inline memory module (PoL-DIMM) technology, based on its embedded, IEEE 802.3af-compliant Power over LAN ASIC.

The new PoL-DIMM module consists of fewer components than existing technology, enabling vendors to quickly and easily integrate PowerDsine's PoL technology into new Ethernet switches at a significantly lower cost.

While other comparable solutions on the market today require several hundred components in order to integrate power over Ethernet (PoE) into a 48-port Ethernet switch, PowerDsine's PoL-DIMM solution affords full 802.3af-compliant PoE support in a switch with a mere seven components.

The new PoL-DIMM module provides vendors with a new means for differentiating their products and offering the most advanced 802.3af-compliant PoE switches on the market.

The complete PoL-DIMM module is field upgradeable, allowing one design to support 8-, 16-, 24- or 48-port implementations, by simply adding more DIMMs.

This eliminates expensive investment on internal research and development resources.

This allows for minimum changes on the switch board and is vertically mounted, allowing Ethernet switch vendors to benefit from a small footprint and no-risk integration solution.

"PowerDsine's embedded solution brings to the table years of experience, leadership and expertise in the Power over LAN market", said Amir Lehr, Vice President of Business Development, PowerDsine.

"The PoL-DIMM has already been designed-in to several leading Ethernet switch vendors who chose this solution due to its short time-to-market, simple click-in installation and development cost savings".

As a founding member of the IEEE802.3af task force leading the development of PoE technology, PowerDsine leveraged its research and development and production experience for leading manufacturers including Nortel, Avaya and 3Com, to provide vendors with a new means for differentiating their products and offering the most advanced switches in the market.

PowerDsine's PoL technology supplies reliable, uninterrupted power to IP telephones, wireless LAN access points, and other Ethernet devices using existing local area network cable infrastructure.

This patent-pending technology, when used in conjunction with a centralised UPS, ensures continuous operation during power failures while eliminating the time and cost of installing separate power cabling and of providing a dedicated, UPS for individual terminals and devices.

Currently available, the PoL-DIMM family uses the industry known and well established 168-pin DIMM package and mechanics, to simplify and significantly shorten the process of integration of 802.3af compliant Power over LAN into switches.

This unique DIMM technology includes the PD-66000-DIMM controller, and PD-65008-DIMM front-end octal power drivers, based on the company's IEEE 802.3af compliant, first in the market octal mix signal power driver ASIC.

This set allows the switch vendors to easily implement a full Power over LAN system with no additional components.

PowerDsine's core technology ASIC, the PD64008, includes features, such as accurate internal current measurement, per port programmable limited current source, overload and under load detection, and programmable detection and disconnection timers.

Based on these unique features, and by using an internal FET switching transistor and current sense resistor per port in the driver DIMM together with a dedicated controller DIMM, the module comprises all the required components for a PoL network.

A single controller DIMM can manage up to six 8-port driver DIMMs, which means that by adding driver modules into the standard DIMM connectors on the switch PCB, more PoL ports can be introduced.

This approach, reduces cost, simplifies layout and EMC concerns, thus complying with all requirements for "crowded" Fast Ethernet switches.

The architecture also supports system power management, as well as data for Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) remote control.

This enables minimum host CPU real-time resources, and allows short time-to-market, risk free and effortless integration process.

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