New Single-Chip Devices Extend Texas Instruments' Lead in Ethernet, Fast Ethernet and Gigabit LAN Switching

ThunderSWITCH I Product Family
Complete Switching Solutions for Desktop Connectivity

ThunderSWITCH II Product Family
Complete Switching Solutions for Desktop Connectivity

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The TNETX4090 integrates onto a single chip a rich feature set that delivers the lowest-cost switch. Alternative solutions frequently require multiple switch chips and numerous lower-density higher-cost memories in order to achieve the same performance. "For end users, Fast Ethernet/Gigabit switches need to deliver non-blocking data transmission and perform to what the design is physically capable of achieving, not what they can 'safely' do," said Lori Schnier, Texas Instruments product marketing manager. "Systems built around the TNETX4090 will be capable of delivering this expected and required performance at very attractive price points."

TI has developed the ThunderSWITCH II architecture around the model that 10/100-Mb solutions need to buffer a minimum of 256K bytes of data on each port. The packet memory cost must be sub $1 per port. TI achieved this performance at the sub $1 per port memory cost by using RAMBUS™ technology. Packet memory costs for alternate solutions are three to four times that of a ThunderSWITCH II-based solution. Networking OEMs can build cost-effective high-density switches, 24 or greater 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.

Additional features of the TNETX4090 include:

• Gigabit Uplink Tagging enables vendors to develop products that forward on layer 3 or layer 4 traffic information leveraging TI's unique frame tagging feature

• Internal local packet switching - allows a packet to be internally switched without the need for external memory transfers thereby minimizing the overall switch latency

• Full or half-duplex modes of operation on all ports which enhances the switch efficiency

• Link aggregation capability - enables port trunking by combining up to eight 10/100-Mb ports into a single logical channel for those high activity switch-to-switch or switch-to-server connections

• Standards compliance, including IEEE 802.3x, 802.1d, 802.1q and 802.1p improves overall network performance and assures interoperability with other equipment 2.5V core power with 3.3V-tolerant input/output interfaces to reduce power consumption

• On-chip gathering of Etherstat and remote monitoring (RMON) statistics on a per port basis reduces the amount of management tasks performed by the local switch CPU

• Industry standard physical layer interfaces for all ports with proven compatibility with TI's TNETE2101 10/100-Mb PHY and TNETE2201 gigabit transceiver devices

"The combination of all of these features enables networking OEMs to build high-performance feature rich switches that support low and very high port density configurations," concluded Schnier. "And single-chip integration reduces the board space requirements and development costs while enabling a quicker time-to-market for Fast Ethernet and Gigabit switches."

Choices for High-Density Switches

In addition to the cascade mode, the TI ThunderSWITCH solutions give networking OEMs another method for creating very high density switches via the port awareness mode. The port awareness feature in the TNETX4090 enables designers to create a cross-bar architecture that allow vendors to support over 400 ports within a single switch element. This feature can be deployed within a modular chassis or across multiple independent switches to create a stackable product offering.

Additional information on TI's ThunderSWITCH product family can be found on the World Wide Web at: http://www.ti.com/sc/docs/network/nbuhomex.htm