Multi-rate switch reference platform optimized to support 24×2.5G

Microsemi Corporation and Aquantia Corp. announced a production-ready multi-rate switch reference platform optimized to support 24×2.5G and up to additional four 2.5G/5G/10G BASE-T ports. The solution—which combines Microsemi’s SparX-IV L2/L3 enterprise switch, VSC7448; Linux SMBStaX software; clock management; PD69208M Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) power sourcing equipment (PSE) manager and Aquantia’s second generation multi-rate IEEE™802.3bz PHY, AQR409—will be demonstrated by Microsemi in the NBASE-T Alliance booth, #317, at Interop ITX in Las Vegas May 15-19, 2017.

 “The new multi-rate switch reference platform provides Microsemi customers a complete hardware and software solution that can be readily taken to the market, as Aquantia’s PHY application program interface (API) and firmware have been integrated into Microsemi’s Linux-based application software suites, including CEServices, SMBStaX and WebStax,” said Larry O’Connell, director of product marketing for Microsemi’s Ethernet Networking Technology (ENT) group. “Additionally the solution combines Microsemi PoE and low jitter clock solutions with our Ethernet switch and software technologies, providing our customers a single source for their Ethernet networking needs.”

 With target applications including 1G, 2.5G and 10G Ethernet switching and aggregation, the joint reference design from Microsemi and Aquantia is ideal for enterprise infrastructure applications such as  enterprise and  small and midsize business (SMB) switches, enterprise access routers, as well as wireless local access network (WLAN) access point (AP) switches. Due to exponential growth of Wi-Fi enabled devices, today’s enterprise APs have maximized their Gigabit uplink throughput. IHS Technology expects total worldwide 802.11ac and 802.11ac Wave 2 APs will exceed 128 million units from 2015 to 2020, comprising more than 76 percent of total AP shipments by 2020. These 802.11ac upgrades, especially Wave 2, will require additional Ethernet data rates beyond what Gigabit Ethernet technology can currently support.

 “As Wi-Fi speeds are projected to exceed the capabilities of existing wired networks, the need for optimized multi-Gigabit Ethernet solutions is clear. Combining the Aquantia AQrate AQR409 multi-rate PHY with Microsemi’s SparX-IV enterprise switch provides a highly optimized solution to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to address this challenge,” said Kamal Dalmia, senior vice president of sales and marketing, Aquantia. “As a result, we expect our new joint reference platform with Microsemi to accelerate the adoption of multi-Gigabit bandwidth over existing network cabling, while enabling enterprises to cost-effectively address information technology (IT) concerns.”