Wind River Announces Product Support for MIPS32 and MIPS64 Microprocessor Architectures.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 12, 2001

Embedded Microprocessor Forum

Center of Excellence Program Results in Optimized Embedded

Software, Development Tools for Communications,

Networking, and Consumer Markets

Wind River Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:WIND), a leading provider of software and services for connected smart devices, today announced the release of version 2.1 of the Tornado(R) II integrated development environment (IDE) and VxWorks(R) real-time operating system (RTOS) for MIPS32(TM) and MIPS64(TM) processor architectures. This product release -- made possible through Wind River's MIPS Center of Excellence program -- targets office automation, communications, network management, digital consumer and other markets that the MIPS architectures are well suited for. In other related news, Broadcom Corp. (Nasdaq:BRCM) and Alchemy Semiconductor have joined MIPS Technologies, NEC Electronics Inc. and PMC-Sierra as members of Wind River's MIPS Center of Excellence program.

Wind River's MIPS Center of Excellence combines engineering and marketing resources with semiconductor vendors to facilitate porting, optimization and distribution of Wind River's embedded software for processors based on MIPS Technologies MIPS32(TM) and MIPS64(TM) microprocessor cores. The program has resulted in a tightly integrated Tornado II for MIPS IDE that takes advantage of new features of the MIPS-based(TM) hardware including support for powerful new 64-bit MIPS cores, low-power 32-bit MIPS cores, multi-chip cores and system-on-a-chip (SOC) designs. This product release is for MIPS32- and MIPS64-compliant processors from the previously mentioned semiconductor vendors, including Broadcom and Alchemy Semiconductor.

"Wind River's MIPS Center of Excellence relationships with MIPS licensees is working very effectively, as evidenced by this comprehensive product release for the already-popular MIPS32 and emerging MIPS64 architectures," said John Fogelin, vice president of Wind River's Platforms business unit. "Wind River has worked closely with the MIPS Center of Excellence members to integrate and optimize Wind River's software for both current and future versions of MIPS core architectures. As a result, developers can spend less time integrating software with hardware and focus on differentiating their products."

New features of the Tornado II IDE for MIPS include the new GNU 2.96 compiler and support for big and little endian modes. Additionally, Wind River's hardware assisted debugging tools and reference designs are available for MIPS32 architectures and will be expanding to include support for certain 64-bit architectures, including MIPS64 core licensees. The end-to-end development solution enables embedded developers to bring up new hardware, solve hardware-software integration issues, create a standard platform based on the VxWorks RTOS, and facilitates the production and test of completed products.

Broadcom and Alchemy Join MIPS Center of Excellence

Through Wind River's new Center of Excellence agreements with Broadcom and Alchemy Semiconductor, Wind River is combining engineering and marketing resources with the two semiconductor vendors to facilitate porting, optimization and distribution of Wind River software on their respective MIPS-based processors. The agreements are part of Wind River's strategy to provide full end-to-end product support for emerging MIPS-based system-on-a-chip (SOC) semiconductor core technologies. Wind River will provide support for Broadcom's Mercurian(TM) family of processors, the first one being the BCM12500 dual MIPS64 processor and Alchemy's Au1000 single processor MIPS32-based SOC.

Availability

Version 2.1 of Tornado II for MIPS is currently in beta and will be fully available later this summer on Windows 98 / 2000, NT and Solaris 2.7 / 2.8 Hosts. The release includes specific board support packages for NEC's Vr5432, Vr4122 and the Vr5500 processors, PMC-Sierra's RM7000A and RM5231A and RM5261A processors, and Alchemy Semiconductor's Au1000 processor, MIPS Technologies' MIPS32 4Kc(TM) family, MIPS64 5Kc(TM) as well as other MIPS32 and MIPS64 processors. Over time, Wind River will compliment these solutions with hardware assisted debugging tools, including tools to support chips from NEC, PMC-Sierra, and Alchemy Semiconductor. Wind River will have future Tornado support for the PMC-Sierra RM9000x2 dual processor, Broadcom's BCM12500 (previously SB1250) dual-core processor and MIPS Technologies' MIPS32 4KE(TM), MIPS64 5Kf(TM) and 20Kc(TM) processor families.

About Tornado

The Tornado IDE provides the next evolutionary step in integrated development environments -- a visual, automated environment that makes creating applications on the VxWorks RTOS fast and easy for developers of all experience levels. Optional product support include WindView(R), TrueFFS for Tornado, Wind Web Server(TM), SNMP, graphics support, and more to help customers with develop a wide array of applications early in the processor life cycle.

About Wind River

Wind River, www.windriver.com, is a worldwide leader in embedded software and services for creating connected smart devices. Wind River provides software development tools, real-time operating systems, and advanced connectivity for use in products throughout the Internet, telecommunications and data communications, digital imaging, digital consumer electronics, networking, medical, computer peripherals, automotive, industrial automation and control, and aerospace/defense markets. Wind River is how smart things think. Founded in 1983, Wind River is headquartered in Alameda, California, with operations in sixteen countries worldwide.

Note to Editors: Wind River Systems, the Wind River Systems logo, Tornado, VxWorks, Wind Web Server and WindView are registered trademarks or trademarks of Wind River Systems, Inc. All other names mentioned are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective companies.

PARTNER QUOTE ADDENDUM

Alchemy Semiconductor

"Alchemy Semiconductor has long recognized that strong technology alliances circumscribing the best combinations of talent and innovation equals greater market strength," said Jim Moore, Alchemy Semiconductor CEO. "By establishing the Wind River MIPS COE and targeting the network and communications markets, Wind River is recognizing the desirability, adaptability and versatility of one of the premier microprocessor core architectures conducive to the integration, power and performance we have been able to magnify in our Au1000 and Au1500 processor.

MIPS Technologies

"VxWorks 5.4 is widely used among OEMs who design with MIPS-based processors," said Ed Forbes, director of third party relations at MIPS Technologies. "This new release is an important milestone toward the consolidation of the MIPS architecture around the MIPS32 and MIPS64 standards, which increases the appeal of MIPS for both SOC designs and system-level products."

NEC Electronics

"With the release of version 2.1 of Tornado, NEC Electronics sees significant benefits to our joint customers," said Karl Auker, assistant general manager of NEC Electronics. "The synergy between NEC and Wind River will continue to provide our customers with system solutions that offer time-to-market advantages. Wind River's support of NEC VR processors, including the newly announced VR 5500, gives our customers a range of solutions targeted for network communications, internet access devices, as well as digital consumer products. NEC is excited about the benefits provided for our customers through the Center of Excellence program and the release of Tornado 2.1."

PMC-Sierra

"PMC-Sierra and Wind River have worked closely together to ensure best-in-class Tornado IDE support for our MIPS IV offering," said Andy Keane, vice president of marketing of marketing for PMC-Sierra. "Through our Center of Excellence relationship our companies can deliver leading tool support including the VxWorks RTOS for the improved MIPS IV offering--allowing our mutual customers to develop leading networking and communication applications more efficiently."