Ethernet Switch Eases Packet-Based Design

With embedded memory and integrated QoS features, the ZL33020 Ethernet switch targets VoIP gateways, DSP modem pools, and traffic management cards. The chip is a 24 Fast Ethernet/4 Gigabit Ethernet port device with 480 KB of embedded memory for control databases and frame data buffer. It supports multiple interface options including SMII, RMII, GMII, TBI, and MII, and integrates flexible packet scheduling algorithms and buffer management functions. Users can assign packets to four transmission classes on Fast Ethernet ports or eight classes for Gigabit Ethernet ports and two levels of dropping precedence. When interconnecting multiple DSP/NPU devices in a cluster, the switch can implement packet addressing based on MAC address, Ethernet type, and VLAN identifier, plus packet prioritization based on IEEE 802.1p priority, VLAN tag, L3 DS/TOS field, IP type of service, and Layer 4 logical port numbers. Available now, price is $62 each/ 10,000. ZARLINK SEMICONDUCTOR, Ottawa, Canada. (613) 592-0200.