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Semiconductor industry

Brooktree Introduces Single-Chip ATM Segmentation and Reassembly Controller

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Brooktree Corp., a leader in high-performance digital and mixed-signal integrated circuits, has introduced a single-chip ATM Segmentation and Reassembly Controller (SRC) that offers an upgrade path to full compliance with key new ATM specifications. The Bt8230 is the first SRC to implement a new per-connection management scheme, which is necessary for the new Available Bit Rate (ABR) Service being worked on by the ATM Forum. This innovation enables the Bt8230 to dynamically allocate bandwidth between active connections, optimizing performance network-wide. The Bt8230 supports all requirements contained in the ATM Forum User Network Interface (UNI) 3.1 and related ANSI and International Telecommunications Union (ITU) standards.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Bt8230 is the first single-chip ATM SRC to implement a new per-connection management scheme, enabling it to dynamically allocate bandwidth between active connections.
  • The device supports all requirements contained in the ATM Forum User Network Interface (UNI) 3.1 and related ANSI and International Telecommunications Union (ITU) standards.
  • The Bt8230's architecture uniquely balances the strengths of the PCI bus with the need to achieve sustained 155.52 Mbps ATM speeds, resulting in lower cost ATM adapters.
  • The Bt8230's new per-connection traffic-management architecture and other enhancements will allow it to implement new ATM specifications, including the new Class Y, Available Bit Rate (ABR) service.
  • The ABR service eliminates the previous ATM method of sharing bandwidth evenly among both active and inactive network connections, replacing it with a more efficient method of dynamically allocating bandwidth between active connections.
  • The Bt8230 supports interleaved AAL5, AAL3/4, and SRC processing, which allows simultaneous support of ATM and SMDS.
  • Designers using the Bt8230 can opt for a local processor to which signaling, Operations and Maintenance (OAM) tasks, and ILMI management can all be ported.
  • The Bt8230 is supported by a powerful, highly flexible ATM evaluation system that has been designed to provide significantly more resources and functionality than traditional ATM evaluation systems.

Statistics:

  • The Bt8230 supports up to 16,000 active Virtual Circuit Channels (VCCs).
  • The device has a PCI host interface (master or slave mode) and can transmit scheduling algorithm, which allows each connection to operate at an independent bit rate of up to 200 Mbit/s per channel.
  • The Bt8230 is priced at $125 per unit in 100-unit volumes.
  • Brooktree's fiscal year revenues for the year ended Sept. 24, 1994, were $109 million.
  • The Bt8230 is available in a 208-pin Plastic Quad Flat Pack (PQFP) with direct TTL-level interfaces to the PCI bus.

Sources:

  • Business Wire, "Brooktree Corp. Introduces First Single-Chip ATM Segmentation and Reassembly Controller," March 13, 1995.
  • Brooktree Corp., press release, March 13, 1995.

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