The ContentAware features found in Broadcom’s existing StrataSwitch family of products have secured a wide range of designs with applications such as standalone and stackable Layer 2 – 4 wiring closet switches, modular chassis aggregation switches, fiber to the curb routing access switches, and control plane applications for optical switches.

The BCM5605 and BCM5606 enable network managers to monitor, control and bill for different types of network traffic with application appropriate priorities and bandwidth allocation to obtain the optimal performance of network resources. This results in a more intelligent use of network resources and enables a whole new set of network service applications requiring high bandwidth, reliable data transmission, low latency, and advanced Quality of Service (QoS) features such as streaming video and Voice over IP (VoIP).

The StrataSwitch II family combines new multi-service provisioning capabilities with switching, routing and traffic classification into single integrated circuits with 24 Fast Ethernet (FE) ports and two Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) ports. The new StrataSwitch II family, available with and without Layer 3 switching, is capable of tracking and differentiating service for up to 1024 unique network data flows. These new chips, which are built upon the original StrataSwitch architecture, enable OEMs to leverage their existing investment in system design and software.

The StrataSwitch family architecture is being deployed in excess of 50 designs, including all the major tier one vendors, said Marty Colombatto, Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom’s Networking Business Unit. The unparalleled combination of ‘Switch-on-a-Chip’ integration, wire-speed performance, and ContentAware features enables StrataSwitch II to address a broad range of applications from enterprise aggregation to metro access.

Broadcom’s StrataSwitch was chosen for our next-generation chassis design as a result of its high performance, scalability and simplicity, said Cecilia Ross, Worldwide Product Marketing Manager, HP Procurve Networking. Using the StrataSwitch, HP Procurve Networking created and designed a new switching architecture in record time, resulting in a cost-effective, high port density solution that allows our customers to easily expand their networks as they grow.

The ContentAware(TM) technology delivered in the StrataSwitch II architecture enables advanced network management capabilities in the switching infrastructure to track different data flows and monitor or control bandwidth on any one of these flows. For example, OEMs can use these new features to help implement network management tasks or routing protocols. The StrataSwitch II family of products will enable ISPs to deliver new service offerings. These include different levels of service for video, voice, and data with application appropriate prioritization done by the hardware, or the ability to charge for the bandwidth consumed by a specific network data flow, such as a TCP/IP address or socket. For the network systems administrator, the tracking capabilities provide greater insight into the consumption of network resources. Not only can IT personnel track which users consume the predominant share of bandwidth, they can also regulate and control that bandwidth consumption in an effort to make the best use of these networking resources.

StrataSwitch II products employ ContentAware(TM) packet processing – a Layer 2 through 7 fast-filter processor (FFP) operating at line rate on all 24 FE and 2 GbE ports – to inspect packets as they pass through the network and dynamically reprioritize their importance in compliance with either the Differentiated Services IETF standard in Layer 3 or alternatively remark the Layer 2 .1p priority. To accomplish this processing, the FFP inspects the first 80 Bytes of each packet determines if the packet contents match the internally monitored network data flows and executes the appropriate packet modification. The parallel processing performance of the FFP is equivalent to 6,650 MIPS on a 64-bit network processor delivering 64 gradients of differentiated service for up to 1024 network flows. This ContentAware(TM) packet processing capability is essential for VoIP, video streaming, and other Quality of Service applications.

Broadcom offers a complete line of complementary 10/100 and Gigabit Ethernet physical layer transceivers (PHYs) for copper Category 5 as well as fiber optic cabling to support the StrataSwitch II family.

Software Support

Supporting software solutions for StrataSwitch are currently available from RADLAN, Inc. and Wind River Systems, Inc. Both vendors are expected to release supporting software solutions for the StrataSwitch II in June 2001. Broadcom also offers a complete evaluation kit, including evaluation boards, schematics, layout files and driver software, which is available today for system development.

RADLAN’s Open and Portable Embedded Network System (OpENS(TM)) is integrated with the entire StrataSwitch product line and offers advanced routing, switching and QoS technology, says Yoram Valent, President of RADLAN, Inc. With the release of Broadcom’s new chips, we are pleased to offer system vendors extended software support for the StrataSwitch II products. Coupled with a powerful development, simulation and testing environment, OpENS expedites product release by 12 months or more.

Broadcom’s StrataSwitch BCM5605 will have the added support of Wind River’s Tornado(R) for Managed Switches (TMS) 2.0 software in June, said Dave Fraser, Vice President and General Manager of Wind River’s Networks business unit. TMS is a comprehensive embedded software package for OEMs developing switches, routers, and other types of Internet infrastructure equipment. TMS 2.0 currently provides complete support from Broadcom’s BCM5600 and BCM5680 chipsets.

Price and Availability

The new StrataSwitch II products are available in two configurations. The BCM5605 enables line rate Layer 3 switching, and the BCM5606 enables line rate Layer 2 switching. The BCM5605 and BCM5606 StrataSwitch chips are each priced at $140 and $125, respectively, in quantities of 1,000. The BCM5605 and BDM5606 are both packaged in 600-pin TBGAs. Sample quantities of both devices are available now and are in production.