PMC-Sierra Introduces Complete 4Gbit/s Networked Storage Architecture with High-Performance Tachyon Fibre Channel Controller.SANTA CLARA Santa Clara, city, Cuba Santa Clara (sän`tä klä`rä), city (1994 est. pop. 217,000), capital of Villa Clara prov., central Cuba. , Calif. -- PMC-Sierra, Inc. (Nasdaq:PMCS PMCS PMC Sierra (stock symbol) PMCS Project Management Control System PMCS partial mission-capable, supply (US DoD) PMCS Preventive Maintenance Checks & Services PMCS Professional Military Comptroller School ): --PMC-Sierra's Tachyon tachyon (tăk`ēŏn'), hypothetical elementary particle that travels only at speeds exceeding that of light. According to the theory of relativity, the speed of light is the limiting velocity for all ordinary material particles. QE4, Together with Its CTS (1) (Clear To Send) The RS-232 signal sent from the receiving station to the transmitting station that indicates it is ready to accept data. Contrast with RTS. (2) (Common Type System) The data typing used in . Loop Switch and MaxSAS Disk Interconnect (1) To attach one device to another. (2) A physical port (plug, socket) or wireless port (transmitter, receiver) used to attach one device to another. Families, Delivers the Industry's Highest Performance, End-to-End Enterprise-Class Storage Solution PMC-Sierra, Inc. (Nasdaq:PMCS) today announced its latest generation Tachyon(R) Fibre Channel controller, the HPFC-6600 QE4, enabling a new class of high-performance networked storage systems. The quad channel 4G Fibre Channel controller with PCI-Express interfaces seamlessly to PMC-Sierra's 4G Fibre Channel loop switch devices, delivering a complete fabric-to-disk-drive solution for enterprise storage systems (see Figure 1). In addition, the QE4 can be used with PMC-Sierra's 3G MaxSAS(TM) expander switches and SAS/SATA multiplexers to enable cost-optimized tiered storage A data storage system made up of two or more types of storage based on their access speed. For example, magnetic disk and tape or magnetic disk and optical disc are widely used in a tiered storage system. See HSM. system architectures (see Figure 2). The Tachyon QE4 provides 4 Gbit/s Fibre Channel SAN connectivity for Fibre Channel, SAS (1) (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, www.sas.com) A software company that specializes in data warehousing and decision support software based on the SAS System. Founded in 1976, SAS is one of the world's largest privately held software companies. See SAS System. and SATA (Serial ATA) A serial version of the ATA (IDE) interface, which has been the de facto standard hard disk interface for desktop PCs for more than two decades. The original Parallel ATA (PATA) interface was launched in 1986. HDD-based storage systems and is fully compatible with existing 2G and 1G networks. The controller interfaces to external CPUs for RAID and customer-specific application processing through an eight-lane native PCI express A high-speed peripheral interconnect from Intel introduced in 2002. Note that although sometimes abbreviated "PCX," PCI Express is not the same as "PCI-X" (see PCI-SIG and PCI-X for comparison). As a result of the confusion, "PCI-E" or "PCIe" is the accepted abbreviation. bus, and provides advanced features to offload To remove work from one computer and do it on another. See cooperative processing. external processors and increase system performance. Furthermore, the QE4 provides 4G Fibre Channel hard disk connectivity through assured interoperability The capability of two or more hardware devices or two or more software routines to work harmoniously together. For example, in an Ethernet network, display adapters, hubs, switches and routers from different vendors must conform to the Ethernet standard and interoperate with each other. with PMC-Sierra's CTS loop switch product family. "PMC-Sierra worked closely with the industry's leading storage OEMs to deliver a 4G Fibre Channel controller that enables our customers to achieve new levels of performance and capabilities, while leveraging their existing hardware and software infrastructure," said Mark Stibitz, vice president and general manager of PMC-Sierra's Enterprise Storage Division. "With the recent acquisition of the Agilent Storage Semiconductor Business, PMC-Sierra is in a unique position to offer the industry's most complete and interoperable The ability for one system to communicate or work with another. See interoperability. solutions to our customers." "With 4G SAN ports ramping sharply this year, storage array OEMs worldwide are looking to accelerate the delivery of their next generation systems," said Ian Eigenbrod, senior research analyst with IDC. "Leading silicon vendors are enabling this transition to 4G by owning the storage signal path with end-to-end chipset A group of chips designed to work as a unit to perform a function. For example, a modem chipset contains all the primary circuits for transmitting and receiving. A PC chipset provides the electronic interfaces between all subsystems (see PC chipset for illustration). solutions, guaranteeing component interoperability from controller to disk and minimizing time to market for these new high-performance systems." The Tachyon QE4 supports four channels of 4 Gbit/s data transfer, achieves up to 3.2 Gbit/s throughput and greater than 1.4 million input/output per second (IOPS IOPS Input/Output Per Second IOPS Input/Output Operations Per Second (server performance measurement) IOPS International Organization of Pension Supervisors IOPS Information Operations Planning System IOPS Internet Official Protocol Standards ) performance. The QE4 integrates a host of leading-edge features including: --A native eight-lane PCI-Express bus; --Reducing PCI-Express bus overhead by supporting 4096 TLP TLP Tension Leg Platform TLP Thread-Level Parallelism TLP Transactional License Program (Adobe software license program) TLP Transitional Living Program TLP The Learning Partnership TLP Transmission Level Point TLP Tanzania Labor Party sizes; --Multi-DMA to enable system cache mirroring with minimal CPU CPU in full central processing unit Principal component of a digital computer, composed of a control unit, an instruction-decoding unit, and an arithmetic-logic unit. overhead; --Frame steering for hardware assisted virtualization An umbrella term for enhancing a computer's ability to do work. Following are the ways virtualization is used. Hardware Virtualization Partitioning the computer's memory into separate and isolated "virtual machines" simulates multiple machines within one physical computer. ; --Multi-CPU support to extend processor scalability and to allow special frame handling within a single Fibre Channel port; and --Support for the T-10 Standard "Protection Information" via ADIF ADIF Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (Spanish) ADIF Audio Data Interchange Format ADIF Amateur Data Interchange Format Specification (Advanced Data Integrity Field) to ensure complete integrity in the I/O (Input/Output) The transfer of data between the CPU and a peripheral device. Every transfer is an output from one device and an input to another. See PC input/output. I/O - Input/Output data path. PMC-Sierra provides a Tachyon Software Development Kit (TSDK) that encapsulates the Fibre Channel protocol behind an architected Application Programming Interface (API (Application Programming Interface) A language and message format used by an application program to communicate with the operating system or some other control program such as a database management system (DBMS) or communications protocol. ), managing all chip-specific control of the Tachyon devices. This software, including sample drivers, allows users to focus their engineering resources on system-level software development, significantly improving time to market. Pricing and Availability HPFC-6600 Tachyon QE4 device is available now, packaged in 544-pin FC PBGA PBGA Plastic Ball Grid Array package using 0.13 micron technology Micron Technology ("Micron") NYSE: MU is a multinational company based in Boise, Idaho, USA, best known for producing many forms of semiconductor devices. This includes DRAM, SDRAM, flash memory, and CMOS image sensing chips. , and priced at $225 in prototype quantities. HPFC-6640, the lead-reduced QE4, is also available. For further information, including datasheets, please visit http://www.pmc-sierra.com/storage or contact PMC-Sierra at sales@pmc-sierra.com.
PMC-Sierra 4G Tachyon Fibre Channel PCI-Express Controller Product
Family
Product Features Package/Process
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HPFC-6400 Quad Channel 4G Fibre Channel 27 mm x 27 mm
QX4 Controller with PCI-Express x8 544-pin FPBGA-
Interface 4L
0.13(mu)m CMOS
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HPFC-6440 Quad Channel 4G Fibre Channel 27 mm x 27 mm
QX4 Controller with PCI-Express x8 544-pin FPBGA-
(Reduced Pb) Interface (Lead reduced) 4L
0.13(mu)m CMOS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
HPFC-6700 Dual Channel 4G Fibre Channel 23 mm x 23 mm
DE4 Controller with PCI-Express x4 320-pin PBGA
Interface 0.13(mu)m CMOS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
HPFC-6750 Dual Channel 4G Fibre Channel 23 mm x 23 mm
DE4 Controller with PCI-Express x4 320-pin PBGA
(Pb free) Interface (Lead free) 0.13(mu)m CMOS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
HPFC-6600 QE4 Quad Channel 4G Fibre Channel 27 mm x 27 mm
Controller with PCI-Express x8 544-pin FPBGA-
Interface with multi-DMA and Multi- 4L
CPU support 0.13(mu)m CMOS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
HPFC-6640 QE4 Quad Channel 4G Fibre Channel 27 mm x 27 mm
(Reduced Pb) Controller with PCI-Express x8 544pin FPBGA-4L
Interface with multi-DMA and Multi- 0.13(mu)m CMOS
CPU support (Lead reduced)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PMC-Sierra 4G Fibre Channel Loop Switch Product Family
Product Features Package/Process
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PM8393 4.25, 2.125, and 1.0625 Gbit/s Fibre 23 mm x 23 mm
SMC Channel Storage Management Controller 324-ball PBGA
0.18(mu)m CMOS
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PM8379 CTS 20x4G 20 port 4.25, 2.125 and 1.0625 Gbit/s 27 mm x 27 mm
Fibre Channel Cut-Through-Switch 352-ball CSBGA
0.13(mu)m CMOS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PM8378 CTS 18x4G 18 port 4.25, 2.125 and 1.0625 Gbit/s 23 mm x 23 mm
Fibre Channel Cut-Through-Switch 228-ball CSBGA
0.13(mu)m CMOS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PM8375 CTS 4x4G 4 port 4.25, 2.125 and 1.0625 Gbit/s 15 mm x 15 mm
Fibre Channel Cut-Through-Switch and 196-ball CABGA
link retimer/extender 0.13(mu)m CMOS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PMC-Sierra 3G MaxSAS SAS/SATA Product Family
Product Features Package/Process
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PM8389 SMC-L SAS/SATA Storage Management 15mm x 15mm
Controller 196-ball CABGA
0.18(mu)m CMOS
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PM8387 SXP 36x3G 36 port 1.5 and 3 Gbit/s SAS 27mm x 27mm
Expander with Integrated 352-ball CSBGA
Enclosure Management 0.13(mu)m CMOS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PM8398 SXP 36x3GSec 36 port 1.5 and 3 Gbit/s SAS 27mm x 27mm
Expander with Secure Zoning and 352-ball CSBGA
Integrated Enclosure Management 0.13(mu)m CMOS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PM8388 SXP 24x3G 24 port 1.5 and 3 Gbit/s SAS 27mm x 27mm
Expander with Integrated 352-ball CSBGA
Enclosure Management 0.13(mu)m CMOS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PM8399 SXP 24x3GSec 24 port 1.5 and 3 Gbit/s SAS 27mm x 27mm
Expander with Secure Zoning and 352-ball CSBGA
Integrated Enclosure Management 0.13(mu)m CMOS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PM8305 SPS 3G 4 port 1.5 and 3 Gbit/s SATA/SAS 10 mm x 10 mm
Active/Active Mux with Native 80-ball TQFP
Command Queuing 0.18(mu)m CMOS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PM8307 SPS 3GT 3 port 1.5 and 3 Gbit/s SATA/SAS 10 mm x 10 mm
Active/Active Mux with Native 80-ball TQFP
Command Queuing 0.18(mu)m CMOS
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About PMC-Sierra's Storage Products PMC-Sierra is a leading provider of enterprise storage system solutions for networked (SAN/NAS) and server storage applications, with a broad portfolio of Fibre Channel and SAS/SATA protocol controllers and disk interconnect products. PMC-Sierra's Tachyon protocol controllers, Fibre Channel loop switches, enclosure management controllers and MaxSAS expander switches and multiplexers provide the most comprehensive solution for enterprise-class storage systems. Together, these products are providing end-to-end semiconductor and software solutions to the industry's leading storage OEMs and ODMs. For more information, visit www.pmc-sierra.com/storage. About PMC-Sierra PMC-Sierra(TM) is a leading provider of broadband communications and storage semiconductors for enterprise, access, metro, storage, wireless infrastructure, laser printers and customer premises equipment See CPE. . The company offers worldwide technical and sales support, including a network of offices throughout North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. , Europe and Asia. The company is publicly traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market Nasdaq stock market The first electronic stock market listing over 5000 companies. The Nasdaq stock market comprises two separate markets, namely the Nasdaq National Market, which trades large, active securities and the Nasdaq Smallcap Market that trades emerging growth companies. under the PMCS symbol and is included in the S&P 500 Index. For more information, visit www.pmc-sierra.com. Figure 1: 4G SAN-Attached Fibre Channel Storage System Figure 2: 4G SAN-Attached SAS/SATA Storage System For figures visit: http://www.pmc-sierra.com/pressRoom/pdf/QE4_figures.pdf For photos visit: http://www.pmc-sierra.com/pressRoom/images/Tachyon_QE4.jpg Resources to Extend Your Product Knowledge and Understanding PMC-Sierra Storage Products www.pmc-sierra.com/storage PMC-Sierra New Products www.pmc-sierra.com/products/newProducts.html PMC-Sierra Storage Webinars www.pmc-sierra.com/webinars (C) Copyright PMC-Sierra, Inc. 2006. All rights reserved. Tachyon is a registered trademark of PMC-Sierra, Inc. PMC (1) See Portable Media Center. (2) (PCI Mezzanine Card) A PCI-based mezzanine card that is widely adapted to VMEbus, CompactPCI and PCI cards. , PMCS, PMC-Sierra, and "Thinking You can Build On" are trademarks of PMC-Sierra, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of the respective owners. |
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