Intel Corp has announced its 82596CA, 32-bit Ethernet local area network co-processor family with 16MHz, 20MHz, 25MHz and 33MHz clock speeds to match its 80486 microprocessors. The 16MHz and 20MHz versions are aimed at the mid-range personal computer market; the 25MHz and 33MHz are for the engineering and network server markets. Intel claims that by combining the 82596CA with its 82503 10Base-T Dual Serial Transceiver, local area networking can be integrated directly on to the motherboard. For end users, this eliminates the need for adaptor boards, and for manufacturers it provides an opportunity to differentiate products. Indeed, Mitsubishi Electric Corp’s Apricot Computers Ltd is using the the chip in its new Xen-Ls II and Ls-Pro personal computers, announced in mid-September (CI No 2,006).

Drivers free

The processors support industry standard IEEE 802.3 Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection functions such as framing, preamble generation and stripping, source address generation, destination address checking, short frame detection and automatic field length handling. An on-board Direct Memory Access controller provides memory management, command chaining and block transfers with long bus latencies and programmable thresholds handled by two independent First In, First Out queues. The 82596CA communicates with the host central processing unit through shared memory and transfers blocks independently. The command list in the system memory is used for high level action commands, which are fetched and executed concurrently with the central processor. Standard software drivers included free with the chips are Novell Inc NetWare 3.xServer, 3.xDOS and OS/2 ODI; MS-DOS and OS/2 NDIS 2.0 and Santa Cruz Operation Inc Unix NDIS 2.0; LAN Manager; Banyan Systems Inc Vines; Digital Equipment Corp Pathworks; 3Com 3+ Open. Windows NT, Artisoft Inc’s LANtastic, NetWare 4.0 and Unix System Laboratories Inc Unix are to be added in around six months time. All four versions of the chip come in 132-lead plastic quad flat packages with the 25MHz and 33MHz available, for an extra $5, in pin grid arrays. The 16MHz costs $18.50, the 20MHz is $20.25, the 25MHz is $26.50 and the 33MHz is $30.25 when you order 1,000 or more. All are available now.

By Lynn Stratton

Analysts have predicted that by 1994 over half of all business personal computers will be networked – a factor that makes the production of local network-ready personal computers a priority for manufacturers, according to Intel. Some, such as Epson America Inc with its ExpressStation, Zenith Data Systems Inc with its Z-Note and Apple Computer Inc with its Quadra series have already recognised this, but traditionally there has been a hesitation amongst manufacturers to enter the market. Intel puts this down to dilemmas over choosing between Ethernet and Token Ring – or combinations of both, problems with creating devices compact enough to fit on motherboards and difficulties with software, but is confident that times have changed. For a start, Ethernet has emerged as the market leader; it is used by 61% of networked business computer users, and its market grew by 47% in 1990-91, according to International Data Corp. By comparison, the market for Token Ring, grew by only 18%, and its shipments, which comprised 24% of the world market in 1990, shrank to 22% in 1991 and are expected to fall to 19% by 1996. Meantime Ethernet shipments are expected to rise to 65% – a powerful economic incentive for Intel’s decision to produce an Ethernet-only chip, which it claims is also the cheapest, simplest and least cumbersome option. Texas Instruments Inc’s SuperEagle Ethernet and Token Ring combination device for example uses five chips, has a 15 square footprint and costs $90. Intel’s $25 Ethernet circuit is only seven square inches, and requires an 82596 32-bit co-processor; 82503 Dual Serial Transceiver, which connects to the attachment unit interface for 10Base-5 and twisted-pair Ethernet for 10Base-T; and one programmable glue logic device. If Token Ring or other protocols like

Fibre Distributed Data Interchange become as popular as Ethernet, Intel says it will address them, but argues that by using its 82596 chip, which would add around UKP50 to the cost of a personal computer, designers can offer local network-ready models at prices competitive enough to entice even non-networked users or those needing to add an appropriate network interface board.

Standard feature

By providing manufacturers with additional consulting services, evaluation kits with everything from demonstration boards and application notes to software drivers, Intel claims it is further encouraging OEM customers to build network ready personal computers. The 82596 family includes three versions, optimised for specific Intel microprocessor buses. The new 82596CA is suited to the complete 80486 family and 80960 processors; the 82596DX matches the 32-bit bus 80386 processors and the 82596SX is for the 80386SX devices. Intel also offers 16-bit 82593 Ethernet controllers for portable systems, such as the Zenith Data Systems’ Z-Note. And development work is continuing. Planned for June 1993 are the 82D11 and 82D10 Peripheral Component Interconnect local buses for boosting the performance of 82596 and 82593 chips respectively. By the end of 1993, Intel suggests, local network integration will be a standard feature for all personal computers.