Cavium Networks and Cypress Offer Joint Network System
Solutions
Cavium Networks, a fabless semiconductor company focused on security and embedded processor
solutions, has aligned with Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE:CY) to provide joint reference designs based on Cypress’
Ayama network search engines and Cavium's own OCTEON EXP control and data plane processor. The new reference designs are intended
for network, storage and wireless infrastructure equipment vendors. According to RK Parthasarathy, senior product marketing
manager at Cypress, "The need for deep-packet classification for next-generation routers and intelligent content aware switches
is increasing with the advent of application layer processing. By partnering with Cavium Networks' broad range of processors
spanning multiple price and performance points, Cypress is expanding its leadership position by providing network search solutions
targeted for the next generation of integrated control and data plane applications." Cavium’s OCTEON EXP processors
are based on anywhere from 4 to 16 MIPS64 based processor cores.
Amer Haider, Director of Marketing, OCTEON Product Line at Cavium
Networks, noted the importance of Cypress content addressable memory based chips to meet OEM vendors performance needs, "Cavium
Networks is pleased to work with Cypress to offer proven and widely used ternary CAM and algorithmic based look-up solutions.
By adding look-up acceleration to OCTEON EXP we are providing OEM vendors a new level of packet processing performance with
general-purpose processor cores programmable using C / C++."
Both Cypress and Cavium will supply the reference designs to equipment
companies, which are expected to expedite the development of network equipment. The joint solution is expected to be available
in early 2006. Sahasra algorithmic-based search engine solutions are expected to follow.
