SAN JOSE -- Intel Corp. announced a trio of new switch-chip controllers, including a product that promises to lower the cost of copper cabling-based Gigabit Ethernet networks at below the "magic" $100-per-port barrier.
During the Intel Developer Forum (IDF), the company rolled out its Media Switch IXE5416 device, which is a 16-port chip aimed at supporting Layer 2/3/4-based switches in Ethernet, Fast
Ethernet, and Gigabit Ethernet networks.
Intel said the IC will also enable low-cost, Gigabit Ethernet-based networks running over existing copper cabling schemes. At present, the vast majority of Gigabit Ethernet-based networks in the market are still running over fiber, which is far more expensive than copper wiring.
A key to drive copper-based Gigabit Ethernets in the market is cost, observed Gopal Hegde, business director of Intel's InterNetworking Operation. "What we are trying to do is drive Gigabit Ethernet running over copper to the desktop," Hedge said in an interview with SBN at IDF.
Right now, most copper-based Gigabit Ethernet networks are running over local-area networks (LANs) or wide-area networks (WANs). Companies, like Intel, hope to bring the technology to the higher-volume desktop market.
The new IXE5416 works in conjunction with Intel's Gigabit Ethernet-based adapter. The device is an integrated 16-port device that incorporates the media-access controller on the same chip. It supports Layer 2/3/4 applications, quality-of-service (QoS), VLANs, and advanced prioritization.
The IXE5616 is $379, in quantities of 1,000. It will be available in the forth quarter of 2001.
Intel also rolled out two other chips, including the IXE2424 and IXE2426. The IXE2424 is a Layer 2/3/4-enabled device, which includes 24 Ethernet/Fast Ethernet ports and four Gigabit Ethernet ports. This chip is $120, in 1,000-unit quantities. It is now sampling.
The IXE2426 is a Layer 2-enabled chip, which includes 24 Ethernet/Fast Ethernet ports and four Gigabit Ethernet ports. This chip is $80, in 1,000-unit lots. It will be available in the fourth quarter of 2001.
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