Tensilica's Xtensa Core Enables Industry's First Storage Network Processor

Update: Cadence Completes Acquisition of Tensilica (Apr 24, 2013)

Trebia Networks Implements Tensilica Configurable and Extensible Processor Core in its Unique Storage Network Processor

July 29, 2002, Santa Clara, CA. &nbsp- Tensilica®, Inc., the configurable and extensible microprocessor pioneer, today announced that Trebia Networks has implemented Tensilica's Xtensa microprocessor core in the industry's first storage network processor (SNP). SNPs, a new processor category pioneered by Trebia, are designed from the ground-up to meet the specific needs of storage area networks (SANs).

"We chose the Tensilica Xtensa core because it offered an efficient and cost-effective development environment for increasing the flexibility of our wire-speed hardware implementation. ," said Wayne Koch, vice president of hardware engineering at Trebia. "This increased flexibility enables storage networking equipment suppliers to accelerate the delivery of high-performance, scaleable storage systems to the rapidly expanding SAN market."

Traditionally, SAN equipment vendors were limited to coupling generic network processors with complex application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) in order to deliver customized storage networking solutions. The Xtensa architecture provided Trebia with a complete hardware and software environment for adding flexible RISC processing functions to a customized single-chip product, with a significantly reduced time-to-market.

With Trebia's products, storage OEMs now have access to a purpose-built product that offers greater price/performance and port density than traditional processors and external ASICs can provide. In addition, as a multi-protocol, programmable storage component, the SNP can be used to support emerging IP storage technologies, as well as seamlessly integrate Fiber Channel SANs with these new standards, providing a level of flexibility that can only be delivered with programmable processing solutions.

"Storage networking is one of thousands of embedded applications that will need application-specific processors to adequately address their unique performance, cost, integration and feature-set requirements," said Bernie Rosenthal, senior vice president of marketing at Tensilica. "The decision by Trebia to use the Tensilica Xtensa core indicates that the industry is rapidly moving away from generic processing approaches in favor of configurable and extensible architectures that allow designers to quickly deliver optimized, customized solutions for a variety of embedded applications."

About Xtensa Processors
Xtensa is Tensilica's proven configurable and extensible microprocessor architecture that provides a powerful, integrated hardware and software development environment with thousands of configuration options and an unlimited range of customer-specific extensions. The environment enables designers to carefully tune the processor for specific functionality. With an easy-to-use graphical interface, designers can take advantage of Tensilica's processor generator to create customized MPU solutions with specialized functions and instructions. Because these instructions are recognized as "native" by a complete set of software development tools, developers can simultaneously tune both application software and processor hardware to meet specific speed, power and feature goals.

About Trebia Networks
Trebia Networks, Inc. is pioneer developer of a new category of processor called the Storage Network Processor (SNP) that is specifically optimized for storage networking solutions. The company is dedicated to delivering high-performance, unique system-on-silicon solutions for storage networking applications that greatly accelerate and simplify the development of next generation system products. Trebia has secured over $40 million in start-up funding from leading Venture Partners. Incorporated in July 2000, Trebia Networks is based in Acton, in the middle of Massachusetts' high-tech corridor. For more information, visit Trebia Networks on the Internet at www.trebia.com .

About Tensilica, Inc.
Tensilica was founded in July 1997 to address the fast-growing market for configurable processors and software development tools for high volume, embedded systems. Using the company's proprietary Xtensa Processor Generator, system-on-chip (SOC) designers can develop a processor subsystem hardware design and a complete software development tool environment tailored to their specific requirements in hours. Tensilica's solutions provide a proven, easy-to-use, methodology that enables designers to achieve optimum application performance in minimum design time. The Company has over 140 engineers engaged in research, development, and customer support from its offices in in Santa Clara, California; Burlington, Massachusetts; Princeton, NJ; Austin, Texas; Raleigh, NC; Oxford, U.K.; Stockholm, Sweden; Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.; and Yokohama, Japan. Tensilica is headquartered in Santa Clara, California  (95054) at 3255-6 Scott Boulevard, and can be reached at (408) 986-8000 or via www.tensilica.com on the World Wide Web.

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Editors' Notes:

• "Tensilica" and "Xtensa" are registered trademarks belonging to Tensilica, Inc. All other registered trademarks or
  trademarks are property of their respective owners.
  
  
• Tensilica's announced licensees are Avision, , Bay Microsystems, Berkeley Wireless Research Center, Broadcom, Cisco Systems, Conexant Systems, FUJIFILM Microdevices, Fujitsu Ltd., Hughes Network Systems, IC4IC, Ikanos Communications, JNI Corporation, Marvell (Galileo Technology), Mindspeed Technologies, National Semiconductor, NEC Networks, NEC Solutions, Nippon Telephone and Telegraph (NTT), Olympus Optical Co., ONEX Communications, OptiX Networks, Osaka & Kyoto Universities, TranSwitch Corporation, Trebia Networks, Victor Company of Japan (JVC) and ZiLOG.
   

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