Infineon Introduces Ethernet Switch Platform: Shows VDSL and LAN Access Solutions Based on Flexible, High-Integration Switch-on-Chip.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SUPERCOMM 2003

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 3, 2003

Infineon Technologies (FSE/NYSE: IFX), today introduced the Purple (PLB2800) Layer2+ Ethernet Access Switch-on-Chip solution. With twice the port density of existing Ethernet switches, the single-chip Purple device supports seven different configurations, ranging from 48 Fast Ethernet (FE) + 2 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) ports up to 8 GbE ports, for access switch designs handling standard Ethernet, Ethernet-over-Fiber, and VDSL links.

Infineon is showing two switch configurations, available as complete reference designs, in its booth at Supercomm (#22637/22737), June 3-5 in Atlanta. The Purple2800x, a fully functional LAN Access switch evaluation platform, and the SP-VDSL2800, a fully operational Ethernet Access system based on the Purple and Infineon's high-speed QAM VDSL PHYs.

The small size 388 P-BGA package Switch-on-Chip offers industry leading Fast Ethernet system integration with no external packet memory or controller, resulting in space, power and cost efficient designs. It allows for up to 48 high-speed Ethernet downlink ports, enabling system manufacturers to engineer high-density broadband access switching systems. The range of applications supported by the Purple Switch-on-Chip include IP-DSLAM/DLCs, high port count workgroup switches, GbE aggregators, LAN Access Switches, Cellular base stations and Packet over SONET/SDH systems.

"As a part of its Agenda 5-to-1 strategy to build on current leading market positions, Infineon is focusing on providing feature-rich system solutions that enable our customers to streamline design efforts, shorten time to market and add value in higher level applications and integration," said Christian Wolff, vice president of Infineon's Wireline Communications Business Group and General Manager of the Access Business Unit. "The Purple Ethernet access Switch-on-Chip is a powerful component of our solution offering, as it supports designs using multiple access technologies, as well as products from our optical transceiver portfolio. It represents an industry first in terms of port-density as well as advanced security features, and helps to strengthen our position in the Ethernet access market."

About Infineon's Purple (PLB2800) Ethernet Switch-on-Chip

The new Purple is a complete Layer2+ Switch-on-Chip solution. The device is also the first Ethernet Switch-on-Chip to integrate the high-performance MIPS 5Kc 64-bit core as an embedded CPU subsystem, enabling execution of management software protocols, stacking and handling, and Quality-of-Service (QoS) policies. The feature set of the Purple includes a 21Gbps/12Mpps switching engine for solid L2+ wire speed switching performance, 16MBit embedded DRAM packet buffer; SRAM for 8k MAC addresses resolution; sophisticated L2-L7 Flow Engine to implement security, QoS guarantees and bandwidth control as well as billing and accounting functions and Stacked VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) capability to uniquely identify customer traffic in a public network. Built-in stacking support offers scalability and flexibility. This advanced feature set and processing power provide the performance headroom to easily master complex and demanding traffic patterns across different types of networks.

About Infineon's VDSL and LAN Access Evaluation Platforms

The Purple2800x is the evaluation and demonstration platform for Infineon's Purple (PLB 2800) 48FE + 2GbE up to 8GbE Configurable Switch-on-Chip with embedded memory and CPU. The Purple2800x comes complete with a chassis, main board, power supply, and LED front panel. In addition, Plug and Play modules are supplied in three basic configurations: Octal FE, GbE Copper, and GbE Fiber.

Infineon's SP-VDSL2800 is a highly integrated Layer 2+ Ethernet over VDSL (EoVDSL) switch evaluation and demonstration system. It combines Infineon's high-capacity Purple Switch-on-Chip and Infineon's field proven EoVDSL PHYs for a one-stop shop Ethernet access solution. The SP-VDSL2800 comes complete with chassis, power supply, and LED front panel. It features 24 single-port EoVDSL PHYs, as well as two Plug and Play GbE Copper or GbE Fiber uplink modules. The main board is expandable up to 48 EoVDSL PHYs.

Pricing and Availability

The Purple (PLB 2800) Switch-on-Chip is priced at $103 in sample quantities (up to 1k). Device samples, software drivers and reference designs for the Purple are available now, and the device is in production. Extended temperature range versions (PLF2800), for operating environments of -40 degrees C to 85 degrees C, are also available.

About Infineon

Infineon Technologies AG, Munich, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions for the automotive and industrial sectors, for applications in the wired communications markets, secure mobile solutions as well as memory products. With a global presence, Infineon operates in the US from San Jose, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore and in Japan from Tokyo. In fiscal year 2002 (ending September), the company achieved sales of Euro 5.21 billion with about 30,400 employees worldwide. Infineon is listed on the DAX index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX).

Further information is available at http://www.infineon.com

This news release as well as a picture is available at http://www.infineon.com/news

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