PMC-Sierra Demonstrates Leading 10 Gigabit Ethernet Chip Set Interoperability at Networld+Interop.

Business Editors/Technology Writers

NetWorld+Interop 2002 Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 7, 2002

Extending its leadership and commitment to industry standards, PMC-Sierra (Nasdaq:PMCS) today announced participation in the world's largest 10 Gigabit Ethernet interoperability demonstration hosted by the 10 Gigabit Ethernet Alliance (10GEA) this week at Networld+Interop in Las Vegas.

PMC-Sierra, a pioneering supplier of 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) components, is demonstrating its XENON(TM) family and XAUI Serializer/Deserializer (SERDES) devices that are based on the draft IEEE P802.3ae 10GbE specification. The combination of XENON and the PM8355 QuadPHY-II(TM) SERDES provides an extensive set of architectural solutions that support a range of 10GbE applications (see figure 1). The XENON family incorporates a proven standards-based 10GbE Media Access Controller (MAC) for applications where system vendors focus investment on value-add higher layer features. For systems that already incorporate a 10GbE MAC, the QuadPHY-II SERDES provides XGMII to XAUI conversion.

PMC-Sierra Provides Proven 10 Gigabit Ethernet Solutions

With the 10GbE specification quickly nearing ratification, time-to-production delivery of standards compatible systems is critical. System designers are under increasing pressure to incorporate 10GbE functionality in their products. PMC-Sierra provides a low risk path for 10GbE solutions based on substantial component validation and system testing. Delivery of the world's first integrated 10GbE and SPI-4.2 based devices in August 2001 and subsequent customer shipments, combined with interoperability demonstrations across a wide range of industry 10GbE platforms and components, further reduces the risk of 10GbE system development.

Continuing this effort, PMC-Sierra's XENON evaluation platform has been incorporated into the Networld+Interop 10GEA multi-vendor network that is designed to showcase the viability of 10 Gigabit Ethernet technology. In addition, a QuadPHY-II evaluation system features interoperability with key XENPAK optical modules and other XAUI SERDES vendors.

PMC-Sierra's XENON Family of Devices Connected in Live 10GEA Network

PMC-Sierra's XENON evaluation platform incorporates a 10 Gigabit optics module and the PM5390 S/UNI(R)-9953, the industry's first physical layer device to integrate OC-192c as well as 10GbE WAN, and 10GbE LAN into a single chip. The XENON platform is connected in-line with a 10G BASE-LW link between two 10GbE switches. A 10GbE WAN PHY link from the 10GEA demonstration network is fed into the XENON platform and is then connected to the Force10 Networks' receive link. A loopback at the SPI-4.2 system interface allows the live 10GbE WAN receive traffic to be turned around and forwarded via the S/UNI-9953 to the Force10 Networks' chassis.

"PMC-Sierra is excited to participate in this significant milestone in the development of 10 Gigabit Ethernet as a viable standards-based technology," said Stuart Robinson, manager of strategic marketing of PMC-Sierra's Optical Networking Division. "We are seeing significant interest in 10GbE WAN PHY components given that the current market environment is favoring compatibility with the existing SONET infrastructure. As such, we chose to bring a 10GbE WAN port to this demonstration."

PMC-Sierra initially demonstrated a 10GbE LAN PHY port based on the XENON chip set at the 10GEA's technology demonstration at N+I in Atlanta in September 2001. Since then, PMC-Sierra has performed both private and public interoperability tests including a live 10GbE demonstration at the Optical Fibre Communications Conference in March 2002 between a leading 10 Gigabit Ethernet switch vendor and the S/UNI-9953 in LAN PHY mode.

QuadPHY-II Delivers Solid Interoperability Performance

The QuadPHY-II SERDES supports 10GbE line side or 10 Gigabit backplane applications that use a high-speed XAUI interface. To support interoperability tests, a QuadPHY-II XENPAK/10GbE evaluation system (see figure 2) is used as a base to support various XENPAK optical modules and XAUI interface tests. The system uses a FPGA to generate 10GbE traffic to be transmitted via an XGMII interface to the QuadPHY-II. XENPAK modules connect to the QuadPHY-II via a XENPAK slot in the evaluation board. In addition, the QuadPHY-II evaluation board can interface with the XAUI Interoperability Platform, which is a backplane design based on Tyco Electronics' Z-PACK HM-Zd connector. During the 10GEA demonstration hot stage the QuadPHY-II was tested successfully for interoperability with Ixia's 10GE XAUI tester, which supports highly flexible traffic generation, analysis and Bit Error Rate Testing (BERT), as well as extensive statistics over each or all four channels.

PMC-Sierra has proven interoperability with multiple key XENPAK module vendors including Agilent Technologies, JDS Uniphase, Molex, and Optillion. This demonstration follows successful XAUI interoperability tests run on the QuadPHY-II at the recent University of New Hampshire Interoperability Lab (UNH IOL) 10 Gigabit Ethernet Consortium group tests in March 2002.

"The breadth of PMC-Sierra's 10GbE solutions provides systems engineers with multiple architecture options allowing them to optimize their designs," said Peter Wong, manager of strategic marketing in PMC-Sierra's Enterprise and Storage Division. "The QuadPHY-II provides a proven interoperable XAUI line side and backplane SERDES solution with low power and exceptional signal integrity for short interconnect and long reach applications."

About PMC-Sierra's XENON Family

The XENON family is a broad set of 10 Gigabit physical layer devices that enables line-cards for 10GbE LAN PHY, 10GbE WAN PHY, and OC-192c POS/ATM as well as high-density Gigabit Ethernet and OC-48c POS/ATM. A common SPI-4 phase 2 (POS-PHY Level 4) system side interface and maximum register compatibility between devices, simplifies the development of a large number of line-cards with minimal design resources. XENON also provides designers with a choice of devices for optimized port card designs (see figure 3). Key features of the SPI-4.2 include low power LVDS operation with both static and dynamic alignment for various board applications ranging from short-range chip-to-chip and longer midplane systems with connectors. For comprehensive SPI-4.2 design support go to http://www.pmc-sierra.com/contactsales. Currently the XENON family includes:

-- PM5390 S/UNI-9953 (10GbE LAN/WAN PHY with PCS/WIS/MAC, OC-192c & 4xOC-48c
ATM/POS framer),

-- PM5392 S/UNI-9953-POS (OC-192c and 4xOC-48c ATM/POS framer),

-- PM3392 S/UNI-1x10GE (10GbE LAN PHY with PCS/MAC), and

-- PM3388 S/UNI-10xGE (10 port GE PCS/MAC with integrated SERDES).

About PMC-Sierra's QuadPHY-II

PMC-Sierra's flagship QuadPHY-II SERDES device offers the industry's widest range of 10 Gigabit Serial backplane operation, from 1 Gbit/s to 3.125Gbit/s, while supporting the draft IEEE P802.3ae 10 Gigabit Ethernet Standard, Fibre Channel and Infiniband (2.5Gbit/s) optical applications. As a 10GbE PHY, the QuadPHY-II supports the emerging 10 Gigabit Attachment Unit Interface (XAUI) for connection to serial and CWDM optical modules. It also provides a standards XGMII parallel interface for seamless connection to 10GbE MACs. The QuadPHY-II's per channel selectable half-rate mode can support either 1.06 Gbit/s or 2.12 Gbit/s Fibre Channel rates on each port independently. For more information on the QuadPHY-II or the XENPAK/10GbE evaluation platform, go to http://www.pmc-sierra.com.

About PMC-Sierra

PMC-Sierra is accelerating the broadband revolution. PMC-Sierra is a leading provider of high speed broadband communications semiconductors and MIPS-based processors for Enterprise, Access, Metro Optical Transport, and Wireless network equipment that makes up the backbone of the Internet. The company offers worldwide technical and sales support, including a network of offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia. PMC-Sierra is included in the S&P 500 Index which consists of 500 stocks chosen for market size, liquidity, and industry group representation and in the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) which contains the largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq Stock Market. PMC-Sierra is publicly traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the PMCS symbol. For more information about PMC-Sierra, visit http://www.pmc-sierra.com.

Attachments:

Figure 1: PMC-Sierra's Complete 10 GE Support available at

http://www.pmc-sierra.com/pressRoom/pdf/10GE_n+1_fig1.pdf

Figure 2: QuadPHY-II XENPAK/10GbE Evaluation System available at

http://www.pmc-sierra.com/pressRoom/pdf/10GE_n+1_fig2.pdf

Figure 3: PMC-Sierra's XENON Family Supports Broadest Set of

10-Gigabit Physical Layer Devices available at

http://www.pmc-sierra.com/pressRoom/pdf/10GE_n+1_fig3.pdf