Vitesse Expands Ethernet Switch Family with Green Features

Vitesse Semiconductor, a provider of IC solutions for carrier and enterprise networks, announced an expansion of its SparX-III switch family (VSC7424, VSC7425, VSC7426 and VSC7427), a line of Gigabit Ethernet managed switch devices with the capability to integrate up to 12 copper physical layers (PHYs). The newest members of the SparX-III family help enable industry-leading power savings, differentiated service delivery, and network security for green enterprise and small to medium-size business (SMB) applications.
The SparX-III managed switches provide a set of Ethernet switching features such as Layer 2 forwarding with VLAN and quality of service (QoS) processing. With an embedded CPU, the devices deliver up to 25 percent faster network management than competitive solutions targeted at the SMB market, the company claimed. When paired with Vitesse’s recently announced SimpliPHY 12-port PHYs (VSC8512 and VSC8522), the SparX-III devices enable a two-chip, 26-port managed Layer 2 GE switch solution. Samples of the VSC7424, VSC7425, VSC7426 and VSC7427 will be generally available in the third calendar quarter of 2010, a company release noted.
The smallest member of the family, the VSC7424, offers eight integrated PHYs with two fiber ports, providing a single-chip, 10-port switch solution. Vitesse said this solution is particularly suitable for telecom access applications such as Passive Optical Network (PON). SparX-III switches also offer support for Audio-Video Bridging (AVB) standard, providing time synchronization for streaming applications, improved multicasting capability and IPv6 MLDv1/2, a packet buffer memory architecture that eliminates latency. Also included is a VCAP-II content-aware processor, allowing QoS classification at wire speed.
The SparX-III family includes Vitesse’s EcoEthernet 2.0 technology, delivering energy efficiency with green features such as IEEE 802.3az idle power savings, ActiPHY automatic link power down and PerfectReach intelligent cable algorithm. The devices also offer integrated fan control and intelligent LED control for further power savings. In conjunction with Vitesse’s process technology, these features enable green switches with optimal power dissipation of 450mW/port in 1000 BASE-T mode and reduce power consumption in SME networks up to 50 percent, the company claimed.
“The new SparX switches are flexible enough to use in Internet access devices, and customer-premises equipment on the network edge, in traditional chassis-based switches, or in Multiple Dwelling Unit/Multiple Tenant Unit access applications,” said Martin Olsen, product marketing manager at Vitesse. “Leveraging the energy efficiencies of EcoEthernet 2.0 and high degree of switch integration, our ODM and OEM customers can deliver cost-effective network equipment that meets the latest environmental standards.”