Date: 17/08/2009

EZchip sampling network processors with 1Gb and 10Gb Ethernet ports

Israel based EZchip Semiconductor is sampling few models of NPA network processors with 1-Gigabit and 10-Gigabit Ethernet ports and power dissipation ranging from 6 to 10 Watts starting at a price of under $100.

The NPA is a scale-down of EZchip's high-speed network processors (NPUs) and is software compatible with EZchip's high-speed network processors. Ezchip is also coming up with production-level code for different applications

NPA is manufactured in a 90-nanometer silicon process and is available in lead or lead-free packages (RoHS compliant), and commercial or industrial temperature grades.


"The NPA addresses the transition of carrier access networks from ATM/TDM to Ethernet, along with the ever-increasing demand for bandwidth at the access," said Eli Fruchter, President and CEO of EZchip Technologies. "EZchip is the only chip vendor to offer a complete line of network processors, with throughputs ranging from 1-Gigabit to 100-Gigabits, and having a common architecture and software for the carrier edge, metro and access markets. The NPA effectively doubles our addressable market and we believe that it will evolve to be another major growth driver for us in the coming years."

The carrier access applications for this device includes:
GPON/EPON aggregation nodes (OLT) for optical access
Wireless backhaul and base stations aggregation for mobile access
Access routers
Ethernet demarcation, access and aggregation nodes
VDSL aggregation nodes (DSLAM) for copper access

The NPA integrates below functions:
Programmable packet processing
Hierarchical traffic manager
Operations, Administration and Maintenance (OAM) processing offload
Synchronous Ethernet and IEEE 1588v2 clock sync offload
Integrated TCAM
On-chip Fabric Interface Controller (FIC)

The NPA is offered in three footprint and software compatible models:
NPA-1: Eight 1-Gigabit Ethernet ports
NPA-2: Sixteen 1-Gigabit Ethernet ports
NPA-3: Configurable to a combination of up to four 10-Gigabit Ethernet ports, or combinations of 10-Gigabit and 1-Gigabit Ethernet ports

For more technical details visit www.ezchip.com/p_npa.htm.