PMC-Sierra Introduces IP Packet Content Classification Processor for Gigabit Ethernet and OC-48 Applications.

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BURNABY, B.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 20, 2001

ClassiPI(TM) processor provides Layer 2 through 7

classification, providing up to 10 times performance

improvement for content aware applications --

including Server Load Balancing Switches and Firewalls

PMC-Sierra (Nasdaq:PMCS) today announced the availability of the PM2329 ClassiPI(TM) packet content classification processor for Gigabit Ethernet and OC-48 applications. ClassiPI (Classification by Packet Inspection) is a new class of packet processor -- designed to accelerate the deployment of content aware Internet Protocol (IP) services such as intrusion detection, load balancing and Quality of Service (QoS) in the IP switches and routers that power broadband networks.

As broadband Internet traffic becomes more complex with the addition of voice, video and increasing amounts of data, next generation network equipment is being asked to look beyond the IP packet header when making decisions about how to treat a packet address. In this environment switches and routers must peer deep into a packet's payload and look at content such as URLs and email addresses in order to classify how Internet traffic will be categorized and delivered. This classification task is beyond the capabilities of today's general-purpose network processors.

By working in conjunction with general-purpose network processors, PMC-Sierra's ClassiPI chip dramatically accelerates this type of content-based classification thus breaking one of the Internet's most challenging bottlenecks. This is accomplished through the use of ClassiPI's highly optimized packet inspection engine and innovative classification algorithms that speed the processing of network traffic by up to 10 times that of a general-purpose network processor alone.

Value Added IP Services Require Content-Based Packet

Classification

The existing IP network infrastructure of edge and core routers provides packet classification at Layers 3 and 4 (of the Open Systems Interconnect -OSI- model) to provide packet routing and basic bandwidth management. Carriers, content providers and application service providers must differentiate and provide customers with more than just raw bandwidth to avoid commoditization. They require network equipment capable of higher layer packet classification to provide value added services such as intrusion detection and server load balancing for better network performance. ClassiPI provides the packet processing technology to build the next wave of value added IP-based switches, routers and service management equipment.

"We saw the potential for ClassiPI to provide us with a major performance advantage in our next generation Quality of Service capable cable router," said Aviv Goren, senior development architect at Terayon Communication Systems (Nasdaq:TERN). "We chose to become a partner-customer on ClassiPI to achieve a time-to-market advantage and ensure the part met our needs."

ClassiPI Provides Industry Leading Content Classification

Performance

Network security is a key concern for companies that are increasingly dependent on the Internet for their product distribution channel and communication infrastructure. To address these concerns, customers require virtual private network (VPN) service offerings with intrusion detection -- ClassiPI enables the design of high density T1/E1 router port cards which can detect signatures or tokens within each packet to support this requirement (Figure 1). E-commerce based businesses require expensive "farms" of transaction servers as their underlying business infrastructure. Efficient utilization of transaction servers is a key concern. ClassiPI enables the design of server load balancing switch port cards that can route packets based on an URL to efficiently meter the transaction traffic to each server (Figure 2).

Deterministic wire speed content classification is critical to the delivery of ubiquitous value added IP services. ClassiPI supports OC-48 applications by using a hardware-based implementation versus current CPU-based alternatives. While hardware-based, ClassiPI is fully user programmable and supports up to 16K user defined logical, relational and long pattern-based search rules. ClassiPI provides a universal SRAM interface bus to interconnect with third party processors or ASICs.

"ClassiPI provides a new communications infrastructure building block which we believe will be instrumental in enabling a new generation of content aware IP-based switches and routers that will assist in the delivery of next-generation services," said Subhash Bal, PMC-Sierra's director of strategic marketing, Access Products Division. "We're already in development on second generation ClassiPI products which will further increase performance and functionality."

Pricing, Availability and Customer Support

The PM2329 ClassiPI is available now in a 35 x 35mm2 352 pin, TEBGA package and priced at $256 in 1KU quantities through distribution. ClassiPI uses low power 1.8V CMOS rated for commercial temperature range of operation (0 to +70 degrees Celsius). A comprehensive support package including datasheets, software drivers, application notes, reference design and a Software Development Kit (SDK) that includes PCI based hardware running on LINUX or Windows NT(TM) operating systems will be available on the PMC-Sierra web site at http://www.pmc-sierra.com.

About PMC-Sierra

PMC-Sierra is accelerating the broadband revolution. PMC-Sierra's extensive family of broadband communication semiconductors enables the equipment that makes up the backbone of the Internet. PMC-Sierra offers worldwide technical and sales support including a network of offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia. PMC-Sierra is publicly traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol "PMCS". The company is included in the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) which contains the largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The Nasdaq-100 Index is the benchmark for the Nasdaq-100 Index Tracking Stock (Amex:QQQ).

PMC-Sierra develops Internet Protocol (IP), ATM, SONET/SDH, T1/E1, T3/E3, Voice-over-Packet, wireless infrastructure, MIPS(TM) microprocessor, and Gigabit Ethernet solutions for wide area network (WAN), and Internet networking equipment. The company's quality system is registered with the Quality Management Institute to the ISO 9001 standard. As co-founder of the SATURN(R) Development Group, PMC-Sierra works with over 30 other member companies to define and develop interoperable, standard-compliant solutions for high speed networking applications. For more information about PMC-Sierra, visit http://www.pmc-sierra.com.

Technical Glossary
==================

ASIC                       Application Specific Integrated Circuit

ATM                        Asynchronous Transfer Mode

ClassiPI(TM)               Classification by Packet Inspection

CMOS                       Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor

CPU                        Central Processing Unit

E1, E2, E3                 European (world) standards for 2.048
                           Mbit/s, 8.448 Mbit/s, and 34.368 Mbit/s
                           transmission, respectively

FREEDM(TM)                 PMC-Sierra's trade name for FRamE Engine
                           and Datalink Manager

GMII                       Gigabit Media Independent Interface
                           interconnect between Gigabit Ethernet MAC
                           and PHY sub-layers. Used with 1000BASE-T
                           PHYs

IP                         Internet Protocol

OC                         Optical Carrier

OSI                        Open Systems Interconnect

PHY                        Physical Layer within the ATM protocol
                           (TC + PMD)

QoS                        Quality of Service

SATURN(R)                  PMC-Sierra works with over 30 member
Development Group          companies to define and develop
                           interoperable, standard-compliant
                           solutions for high speed
                           networking applications

SDH                        Synchronous Digital Hierarchy. Worldwide
                           standard for synchronous transmission
                           systems (typically fiber optic). Similar
                               to SONET

SDK                        Software Development Kit

SONET                      Synchronous Optical Network. North American
                           standard for synchronous transmissions
                           systems (typically fiber optic). See also
                           SDH

SPECTRA(TM)                SONET/SDH Payload Extractor/Aligner

SRAM                       Static Ram

S/UNI(R)-2xGE              Dual port Gigabit Ethernet transceiver

T1                         North American standard for 1.544 Mbit/s
                             transmission

T3                         North American standard for a TDM digital
                           channel carrier that operates at 44.736
                           Mbit/s. It can multiplex 28 DS-1 signals
                           and is synonymous with DS-3

TEBGA                      Thermal Enhanced Ball Grid Array

TEMUX                      High Density T1/E1 Framer with Integrated
                           VT/TU Mapper and M13 Multiplexer

URL                        Uniform Resource Locator

VPN                        Virtual Private Network

WAN                        Wide Area Network

(c) Copyright PMC-Sierra, Inc. 2001. All rights reserved. S/UNI(R) and SATURN(R) are registered trademarks of PMC-Sierra, Inc. ClassiPI(TM), FREEDM(TM), SPECTRA(TM) and PMC-Sierra(TM) are trademarks of PMC-Sierra, Inc. MIPS(TM) is a trademark of MIPS Technologies Inc.

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