Marvell (NASDAQ:MRVL) says it can provide silicon to support the deployment of 25 Gigabit Ethernet (25GbE) end-to-end in data center networks. The devices include the new Prestera 98CX84xx family of 25GbE switches and Alaska C 88X5123 and 88X5113 Ethernet transceivers. The chips also will support 100GbE applications, Marvell says.
The company says its Prestera 98CX84xx ICs are better optimized for 25GbE top-of-rack (ToR) switch applications than current alternatives. The devices featuer integrated 25GbE PHYs that help enable data center operators to meet or exceed 1 W per 25G port targets for ToR applications, Marvell asserts.
To support software-defined networking (SDN) environments, the Prestera 98CX84xx switches include an abstraction layer that Marvell says will integrate seamlessly with Open Compute Project (OCP) switch abstraction interface (SAI) application program interfaces (APIs). The company also provides an OpenSwitch driver plug-in. The Prestera 98CX84xx switches are also supported by such data center software platforms as IP Infusion.
The Alaska C 88X5123 Ethernet transceiver is designed to enable customers to support the new IEEE 25GbE specifications on their existing switch ASICs. The Alaska C 88X5113 Ethernet transceiver, a 40G Ethernet to 25G Ethernet Gearbox device, enables a 40GbE stream to be translated to a 25GbE stream. The feature enables 40GbE-capable server NIC controllers to support native 25GbE.
Marvell says it has worked with such original design manufacturers (ODMs) as Delta Networks, Inc., Foxconn, Pegatron Corp., and Wistron NeWeb Corp. (WNC) to provide 98CX84xx-ready platforms for ToR switch applications. Samples and reference designs for the 98CX84xx, 88X5123 and 88X5113 are currently available.
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