PLX Technology Expands 10GBase-T PHY Family; Lowers Power, Cost; Adds Powerful Features

SUNNYVALE, CA, Dec 05, 2011 -- PLX Technology, Inc., the leader in high-speed connectivity solutions for the enterprise data center, today announced the expansion of its TeraPHY(R) 10GBase-T PHY family with three new single-, dual- and quad-port integrated transceivers. Designed on a 40-nanometer lithography node, these devices represent the fourth generation of PLX(R) 10GBase-T PHYs and its second generation in 40nm. This latest PLX TN8000 family of devices bring to market several unique features and attributes requested by multiple Tier-1 customers, and are already being designed into several networking platforms. The demand for 10GBase-T has escalated due to the phenomenal growth in cloud-based data distribution, combined with the availability of powerful, yet affordable and easy to implement, 10 Gigabit PHY devices, which will now replace the widespread Gigabit infrastructure.

Low power dissipation is crucial in today's data centers and PLX's upgraded TN8000 PHY devices require only two watts for 10-meter distances over standard copper cabling, which is a popular networking length. PLX TeraPHY products automatically determine the length of a cable and only use the necessary power to reach that distance. If long reach is needed, the TN8000 is capable of 10Gbps operation at distances in excess of 120 meters on standard Cat6A cabling.

Another key feature includes Enhanced Energy Efficient Ethernet (eEEE) for both 10 Gigabit and Gigabit speeds -- this PLX customization of the IEEE 802.3az standard implements special low-power idle modes, resulting in lower costs and further contributes to saving the environment. Appealing to system designers requiring high-security networks, PLX enhanced its Media Access Control Security (MACSec) circuits with second-generation MACSec features that include options for either variable or fixed latency for network protection. MACSec allows the setup of very secure private networks by identifying and preventing threats within and beyond a local area network (LAN). Additional value-added features include RXAUI and enhanced KR interfaces and Wake on LAN support. The new TN8000 devices will also be able to use a 39.0625 MHz crystal, in addition to the 156.25 MHz oscillator, resulting in reduced bill-of-materials (BOM) cost.

Important for high-density switch applications, the new TN8045 quad-port member of the family is housed in a smaller 25mmX25mm flip-chip BGA package and therefore requires less overall board space than previous solutions.

"Clearly, 10GBase-T is poised for wide-scale deployment as data centers convert from the decade-old 1G to 10G," said Brad Smith, senior vice president of market researcher LightCounting, which tracks high-speed networking. "Data centers are filled with Cat6 and Cat6A copper cables, and the cost of re-cabling the infrastructure can dwarf capital expenses on hardware. Therefore, 10GBase-T PHYs such as those PLX is bringing to market can enable cost-efficient transition to 10G in data centers."

"We reached out to real-world suppliers of IT solutions that service data center managers and performed a comprehensive cost-comparison study between a Direct Attached plus Fiber solution versus a Cat6a cable implementation using 10GBase-T," said Ron Cates, PLX vice president of marketing, networking products. "The analysis revealed that with the new 10GBase-T transceiver prices, a Cat6a-based solution is significantly more cost-effective. When these lower costs are added to the other inherent advantages of 10GBase-T technology, such as interoperation with legacy 1000Base-T links and the ability to reach 100-meter distances, they open the door wide for IT managers looking to reap the advantages of a 10 Gigabit performance upgrade."

With the market's broadest 10GBase-T PHY portfolio, PLX has enabled the industry's first 10GBase-T equipment, and the company today owns more than 60 percent market share for 10GBase-T PHY devices.

Pricing, Availability

 The new PLX TeraPHY TN8044 (quad port), TN8022 (dual port) and TN8020 (single port) 10GBase-T transceivers have already taped-out and are scheduled to sample in February 2012. Volume pricing ranges from $20.00 to $40.00 per port.

About PLX

PLX Technology, Inc. PLXT +0.34% , based in Sunnyvale, Calif., USA, is an industry-leading global provider of semiconductor-based connectivity solutions primarily targeting the enterprise and consumer markets. The company develops innovative software-enriched silicon that enables product differentiation, reliable interoperability and superior performance. www.plxtech.com . Follow PLX on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.