Switch enables simultaneous 1 and 2.5 GbE connectivity.

Press Release Summary:



StrataXGS® III works with NetXtreme® II converged network interface controller to provide 2.5 Gigabit end-to-end networking infrastructure solution optimized for blade servers. This 16-port, single-chip switch uses existing Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) network infrastructure to deliver simultaneous 1 Gigabit Ethernet (1GbE) and 2.5 Gigabit connectivity in blade servers. Features include multi-layer switching, IPv6 routing, deep-packet inspection, and 8 classes of service per port.



Original Press Release:



Broadcom Switch Enables First Simultaneous 1 Gigabit Ethernet and 2.5 Gigabit Server Blade Connectivity Using Existing GbE Infrastructure



New StrataXGS(R) 2.5 Gigabit Switch Pairs With Broadcom's 2.5 Gigabit Converged Network Interface Controller (C-NIC) to Offer the Only 2.5 Gigabit End-to-end Solution

GARDEN GROVE, Calif., April 18 / -- (Server Blade Summit) Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ:BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced a new 16-port 2.5 Gigabit single-chip switch that uses existing Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) network infrastructure to deliver simultaneous 1 Gigabit Ethernet (1GbE) and 2.5 Gigabit connectivity in blade servers. The new Broadcom(R) StrataXGS(R) III 2.5 Gigabit switch works in conjunction with Broadcom's popular NetXtreme(R) II converged network interface controller (C-NIC) to provide the industry's only 2.5 Gigabit end-to-end networking infrastructure solution that is optimized for blade servers.

IT managers need to add capacity to existing 1GbE blade servers to effectively handle the increase in the converged network traffic (i.e. IP-based storage, clustering, management and data networking) that is creating a bottleneck in today's network. Broadcom's new 2.5 Gigabit switch addresses this problem by providing more than two times the bandwidth of 1GbE, while offering features such as low latency, multi-layer switching, IPv6 routing, and deep-packet inspection, which are crucial for network management and quality of service (QoS).

"By delivering this new technology, Broadcom is responding to customer demand for a cost-effective speed upgrade to 2.5 Gigabit 'inside the box' for currently deployed 1 Gigabit blade servers," said John Mui, Product Line Manager of Broadcom's Network Switching Business Unit. "The real value is that Broadcom is enabling the additional speed, while protecting our customers' IT investment by utilizing the existing backplane hardware."

Announced today is the StrataXGS III BCM56580, a 16-port 2.5 Gigabit/1GbE multi-layer single-chip switch that includes 4 ports of 10GbE. The device features auto-negotiation of both 1GbE and 2.5 Gigabit, which allows each port to simultaneously support either 1GbE or 2.5 Gigabit speeds, and enables individual deployment of blades in a plug-and-play fashion. Also featured within the BCM56580 is the Broadcom ContentAware(TM) engine, which provides deep-packet inspection (Layers 2 - 7), allowing the switch to identify and prioritize various types of traffic including IP-based storage, clustering, management and data networking.

The StrataXGS III BCM56580 provides key features required for blade servers including:

o Cut-through switching for reduced overall system latency
o Integrated SerDes and on-chip buffer and table memory that reduce bill of materials (BOM) cost and save board space
o Eight classes of service (CoS) per port for traffic prioritization
o Full IPv6 routing support for streamlined network management
o Advanced QoS for converged networking applications

The new BCM56580 switch, when combined with Broadcom's BCM5708S NetXtreme II C-NIC, provides the industry's only 2.5 Gigabit end-to-end solution that can simultaneously perform storage networking, high-performance clustering, accelerated TCP/IP data networking and remote management pass-through, all over a single Ethernet fabric. This solution is being demonstrated this week at the Server Blade Summit, at the Hyatt Regency Orange County, Booth #401.

Availability

Broadcom's new StrataXGS III BCM56580 switch is currently sampling to customers and features a mature software API, which is currently supported by multiple third-party software vendors. Reference designs are also available to help speed time-to-market and include schematics, layout files and related documentation. Volume production of the BCM56580 is anticipated in July 2006 and product pricing is available upon request.

About Broadcom

Broadcom Corporation is a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Our products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment. Broadcom provides the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything(R).

Broadcom, one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies with annual revenue of more than $2.5 billion, is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at 1-949-450-8700 or at www.broadcom.com.

Broadcom(R), the pulse logo, Connecting everything(R), the Connecting everything logo, StrataXGS(R), NetXtreme(R) and Content Aware(TM) are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Technical, John Mui, Product Line Manager, +1-408-922-5638, jmui@broadcom.com of Broadcom Corporation

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