Broadcom is unveiling the BCM88600 chip, which will enable vendors to build 10GbE switches that can be used in highly scalable, high-bandwidth environments to meet the growing demand fueled by the rise of data and video Internet traffic.
Broadcom is showing the fruits of its November 2009
acquisition of Dune Networks with the unveiling of a chip that officials say
will enable the creation of Ethernet switches with throughput capabilities of
100 Gigabits per second, with the potential for 100 Terabits per second.
Broadcom officials said Nov. 2 that the company is sampling
the BCM88600, a family of chips that will enable greater scalability in various
Ethernet network switching solutions, a need that is rapidly growing in demand
thanks to the rapidly increasing amount of video and data Internet traffic that
is driving demand for high levels of bandwidth.
According to Broadcom, the BCM88600 line of chips-which can
be used in data centers as well service provider environments-can process a
single stream of 100GbE at Layer 2 through Layer 4 with integrated management
capabilities. In some configurations, that capacity could jump to 100T bps, Broadcom officials said.
The chip, which Broadcom says integrates the functions of a high-performance
line card, can be used for a range of network switch solutions, including
everything from small fixed configurations to large, standalone chassis-based
offerings. The BCM88600 also is another tool enterprises can use as they build
unified infrastructures within their data centers.
The chip, launched within a year of its acquisition of Dune,
also is proof of Broadcom's ability to efficiently integrate acquired companies
into its own, according to Martin Lund, senior vice president and general
manager of Broadcom's Network Switching business unit.
"With
the BCM88600 series, Broadcom has again enabled ethernet to outpace other
technologies in terms of bandwidth and performance, providing both the
scalability and capacity required to develop ultra high-performance networks,"
Lund said in a statement. "The introduction of the new product series within
just ten months post acquisition underscores our ability to successfully
integrate acquired technologies into our portfolio without slowing down the
pace of innovation."
Broadcom's technology comes at a time when vendors and
enterprises are looking at 100GbE, even as the transition from 1GbE to 10GbE is
still underway, and 40GbE is on the horizon. Networking vendors such as Cisco
Systems (/c/a/Enterprise-Networking/Cisco-Ethernet-Cards-Will-Exceed-100Gb-Capacity-540239/),
Juniper Networks and Alcatel-Lucent in 2009 started showing off 100GbE
adapters. In addition, 18 vendors reportedly are readying demonstration of
100GbE networking products compliant with the IEEE's 802.3ba standard at the SuperComputing 2010 show, which starts
Nov. 13.
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