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Related Product Information

In This Issue

TI's new ThunderSWITCH I and II devices bring high-performance, low-cost network solutions to the desktop

Texas Instruments has extended its ThunderSWITCH™ portfolio with the introduction of two new single-chip product families targeting Ethernet, Fast Ethernet and Gigabit switching equipment. These next-generation products will enable network equipment manufacturers to develop high-performance desktop switches below $15 per port for Ethernet and $35 per port for Fast Ethernet.

ThunderSWITCH II TNETX4090

ThunderSWITCH II TNETX4090 is the industry's only single-chip 10/100/1000-Mb device that offers eight 10/100-Mb ports and one 100-Mb/1-Gb uplink port. The device uses RDRAM, which provides superior performance and a substantial savings over existing SDRAM-based solutions. Alternative solutions frequently require multiple switch chips and numerous high-cost, low-density memory devices to achieve similar performance.

The ThunderSWITCH II TNETX4090 has 4 Gb of memory bandwidth and 6 Gb of internal switching bandwidth, allowing OEMs to develop ultra-high performance, non-blocking switches. By also incorporating a rich feature set, the cost-effective device meets the needs of the rapidly growing 10/100/1000-Mb market.

Networking OEMs can build cost-effective high-density switches, greater than 24 10/100-Mb ports, by using multiple TNETX4090 devices connected via the cascade mode. This configuration will be further expanded later this year with the introduction of the second and third members of the ThunderSWITCH II family. Based on the existing architecture, they will provide expanded switch features, port densities and multi-gigabit speeds.

ThunderSWITCH I

The ThunderSWITCH I product line is the industry's most complete family of single-chip solutions for use in 10BaseT desktop Ethernet switches. The four pin-for-pin compatible devices (see box) all support the same feature set. As a result, networking OEMs can build -- on one common platform -- switches of various port densities that share the same functionality. This enables OEMs to simplify designs, lower overall system cost and get to market quickly with solutions that provide the features needed to support emerging bandwidth-intensive applications.

All ThunderSWITCH I devices support cut-through and store-and-forward modes of operation, as well as user-defined virtual LANs (VLANs). To reduce cost and number of pins, these devices use a pin optimized synchronous PHY interface with the TI TNETE2008 Octal 10-Mb PHY. This interface reduces the pin count by more than 75 percent. The ThunderSWITCH I products are the lowest-power switches available today; each has been fabricated in TI's 0.25 um process technology and has a core that operates at 2.5 V.

Pricing and availability

ThunderSWITCH II TNETX4090 samples were scheduled to be available from TI and authorized distributors in August. Volume production is scheduled for 4Q98. ThunderSWITCH I family devices are sampling now. Volume production is scheduled for 3Q98.

Corresponding physical layer devices -- the TNETE2008, TNETE2101 and TNETE2201 -- are in production now. The TNETE2008 supports eight 10-Mb ports and works with the ThunderSWITCH I devices. It uses a proprietary synchronous PHY interface that reduces pin count by more than 75 percent. The TNETE2101 is asingle-channel 10/100 PHY, and the TNETE2201 is a single-channel gigabit transceiver.

Suggested resale pricing in U.S. dollars in 10K quantity.

* All planned pricing.

ThunderSWITCH is a trademark of Texas Instruments.

For complete information, order ThunderSWITCH II Product Bulletin (SPWT099) and ThunderSWITCH I Product Bulletin (SPWT100). See Related Product Information.