Lucent Technologies and Allayer Introduce High Bandwidth, Low-power System-on-a-chip for Fast Ethernet Networks

SAN JOSE, Calif., August 23, 1999 -- Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU) Microelectronics Group and Allayer Communications today announced a jointly developed eight-port Fast Ethernet switch/physical layer (PHY) integrated circuit (IC) that increases bandwidth by as much as 50 percent and reduces power consumption by as much as 40 percent in local area network (LAN) switches.

The device features an eight-port Fast Ethernet switch and media access controller (MAC) developed by Allayer combined with an eight-port PHY developed by Lucent - all on a single chip. By placing three of these chips onto one circuit board, switch manufacturers can create a 10/100 LAN switch that is non-blocking to 24 ports. When compared to other devices that are limited to 16-ports non-blocking operation, the new devices provide 50 percent more bandwidth. They are also scaleable to 32 ports.

The devices can also be combined with their associated management chip and Gigabit Ethernet switch chip to provide additional management features and a high-speed connection of two gigabits per second (gbps) to other LAN switches. As an added benefit, switch manufacturers for workgroup and desktop applications will realize significant component cost savings by eliminating from three to 24 devices in a typical 24-port switch configuration.

"There is no doubt that combining switch and PHY circuitry will be the trend in the industry," says Jeremey Donovan, communications semiconductor industry analyst at Dataquest. "Every Ethernet switch system needs both technologies and it makes sense to gain the advantages of lower chip count, lower cost and easier system manufacturing that comes with integrating these technologies. Only a few players have the technical expertise to successfully integrate digital switching and analog media interface technologies cost effectively."

The device uses low-cost synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) and synchronous graphics random access memory (SGRAM) for buffer memory, as compared to competing products that require more costly synchronous static random access memory (SSRAM) for buffer memory. The 40 percent power savings is realized because both the switching and PHY functions are designed for manufacture in 0.25-micron complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Another architectural feature is the RoXΠring expansion bus that enables multiple devices to be linked together to form a 24-port 10/100 switch with two ports of Gigabit Ethernet.

"Our new device simplifies the design of affordable high-performance Fast Ethernet switching systems," says Cheng-chung Shih, President and CEO of Allayer. "This is the first combination device specifically designed as an integrated system. Now, by using our integrated device, system OEMs can save space, improve reliability, simplify manufacturing flows and reduce power consumption."

The device includes memory storage for 1,000 MAC addresses with the option of adding external memory to support up to 16,000 MAC addresses. Other features include auto negotiation, virtual local area network (VLAN) support, link aggregation, flow control, broadcast storm control and port mirroring.

The device also provides network management information conforming to the simplified network management protocol (SNMP) and remote network monitoring (RMON) standards when combined with the associated management chip.

"LAN equipment designers are constantly challenged to add more features and increase performance while reducing overall system costs and system power consumption," said Mark Hunsicker, Enterprise LAN director for Lucentıs Microelectronics Group. "This solution lowers the IC cost-per-port for a 24-port switch to less than $6 per port while reducing system power by 40 percent."

Allayer and Lucent will market their respective devices independently. The Allayer device, the AL216, and the Lucent device, the LU3XS38FT, are both implemented in 352-pin plastic ball grid array (BGA) packages and are priced at U.S. $45.00 in quantities of 10,000. Samples are expected to be available from both companies in the fourth quarter of 1999, with volume production starting in early 2000.

Lucent Technologies designs, builds and delivers a wide range of public and private networks, communications systems and software, data networking systems, business telephone systems and microelectronic components. Bell Labs is the research and development arm for the company. For more information on Lucent Technologies, headquartered in Murray Hill, N.J., visit its Web site at http://www.lucent.com.

Lucent's Microelectronics Group designs and manufactures integrated circuits and optoelectronic components for the computer and communications industries. More information about the Microelectronics Group is available from its web site at http://www.lucent.com/micro.

Allayer Communications designs, manufactures, markets and supports advanced semiconductor products that improve the edge network system by providing silicon solutions that make switches smarter and links between workgroups faster. The corporate name -- pronounced "All-layer" -- represents the companyıs long-range intention to provide silicon solutions for all levels of the OSI networking model. Founded in 1997, Allayer uses a Modular Systems Standard Product or MSSP approach to design the most flexible, high performance, and scalable ICs for Ethernet LAN switching and fiber optics applications.

Allayer products are used by systems OEMs who manufacture local area networking equipment in the edge network that provides the interface between individual workstations or workgroups and the enterprise network backbone system.

Founded and managed by an experienced team of engineers and managers from Allied Telesyn, Rockwell, Level One, Exar, Cypress, Chipcom, LANart, Oak Technologies and Cabletron, Allayer is well positioned to create leading edge IC solutions for the Internet network systems market. Allayer possesses advanced engineering expertise in network system design, analog and digital ASIC design, mixed-signal CMOS and fiber optics technologies.

RoX™ and RoX-II™ are trademarks of Allayer Communications.

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