Motorola Launches Industry's First Platform Supporting New PICMG 2.20 Backplane Specification

TEMPE, Ariz., Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Motorola Computer Group, a part of Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), today launched the MXP3321, the industry's first platform built to the recently ratified CompactPCI® Serial Mesh Backplane (CSMB) specification. Designated PICMG® 2.20, CSMB is a point-to- point serial interconnect that can scale to more than 700Gb/s that was proposed and pioneered by Motorola Computer Group. Based on the core PICMG 2.x specifications that have been adopted throughout the telecommunications, enterprise and industrial markets, CSMB also provides parallel capability with the proposed AdvancedTCA(TM) PICMG 3.x specification. The MXP3321 targets Multiservice Switching (MSS) applications such as multi-protocol routers, 3G wireless radio network controllers (RNCs) and media gateways.

For the first time, CSMB offers telecom equipment manufacturers an industry standard means of connecting multiple networks featuring different types of traffic, including ATM, IP, Frame Relay, GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) and other wireless and proprietary protocols. This enables developers to distribute traffic across the backplane of an MXP3321 in its native format -- preserving Quality of Service (QoS), as conversion between protocols can degrade QoS, particularly between IP and ATM. Because the communication between any two slots does not depend on what protocols may exist elsewhere in the platform, this architecture can be easily adapted to fit many different applications. In an MXP3321, ATM, IP and Frame Relay packet processing could be occurring simultaneously with call processing and database management.

"Many companies building Multiservice Switches and related applications need a switch fabric now -- one that is an industry standard -- that meets their cost, footprint, and functionality requirements for OC-48 and below network edge applications," said Jeff Rhodes, business manager, Motorola Computer Group. "The CSMB ratification is a vote of confidence that telecom manufacturers can get a PICMG specification switch fabric immediately, along with the partner ecosystem, processor and payload boards, and supporting software."

"We want to make a good idea even better, which is why we are leading other companies in this industry to leverage the PICMG 2.20 accomplishments into the great work being done with PICMG 3.x AdvancedTCA. The mesh is the enabling technology. This launch of a mesh-enabled MXP platform will provide deployable solutions in 2003," he continued.

The MXP3321 also supports the PICMG 2.16 CompactPCI Packet Switched Backplane specification, which provides up to 1Gb/s per board of bandwidth. This architecture is focused on IP transport and so is less suitable for the various QoS sensitive traffic requirements at the edge of the telecom network, where ATM and TDM are widely deployed. The control architecture of the MXP platform supports up to 18 general purpose processor, DSP or network processor blades.

The following examples demonstrate the growth of the PICMG 2.20 ecosystem and early adopter customers:

Celoxica Ltd and StrongBow Technologies

StrongBow's modular server technology is designed around the MXP platform and the PICMG 2.20 specification. The platform carries boards with multiple FPGAs, for massively parallel hardware implementation of applications, which are programmed using Celoxica's DK design suite. Customers can quickly and confidently design, implement and manage business critical applications, such as transaction processing for credit cards.

The MXP platform was chosen for its flexible, scalable backplane architecture and carrier grade features that are a necessity in next generation high-end server applications. In addition to the FPGA boards, the platform carries communications cards to connect to clients, either directly, across communications network or through the Internet, and to storage systems. Protocols, such as the TCP/IP stack, and security measures, such as SSL, are implemented directly in hardware using Celoxica's DK product. The DK design suite performs the compilation of C software algorithms into the FPGA hardware to enable the flexibility of this platform.

Silicon & Software Systems

Silicon & Software Systems (S3) in co-operation with Motorola Computer Group and NetPlane Systems has developed an ATM communication subsystem for Motorola's Packet Processing Resource Board (PPRB) targeted at the MXP platform. This subsystem reduces development cost and complexity for system builders by providing an integrated building block supporting high speed ATM connectivity. It includes fast path switching and ATM signaling support. S3 also customizes this subsystem for specific RNC or media gateway requirements.

Interphase

Interphase Corporation is a co-sponsor of the PICMG 2.20 specification and the creator of the iNAV 4000 network processor server blade -- which is targeted for use in PICMG 2.16 and PICMG 2.20 compliant platforms, including the MXP family. The iNAV 4000 enables OEMs unparalleled levels of price/performance in ATM Adaptation Layer 2 (AAL2) packetized voice, ATM Adaptation Layer 5 (AAL5) and IP protocol processing, providing a seamless bridge between ATM and Ethernet networks. The iNAV 4000 is powered by an Access Packet Processor and has two PTMC sites (PICMG 2.15) for multiple I/O interfaces including OC-3/STM-1, OC-12/STM-4, Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet.

Altera Corporation

The MXP platform products rely on Altera Mercury devices to provide the high-speed link used by PICMG 2.20 CSMB. Altera PLD flexibility also enables customization to support a wide range of protocols on the line cards. The next generation MXP platform will be powered by Altera's Stratix GX family, which offers devices ranging from 4 to 20 high-speed serial channels at speeds up to 3.125 Gbps and very low power consumption per channel. The Stratix GX family fits the bill in scaling up to a full high speed chassis or scaling down to the minimum requirement for a single line card. These devices are available from Altera Corporation for any company wishing to develop products that support the PICMG 2.20 specification.

    The MXP Family
    All members of Motorola's MXP family released to date have these features:

    -- 12U high, 21 slots - up to 18 payload slots, up to 50 watts per slot
    -- System management over IPMI (PICMG 2.9)
    -- Redundant alarm management cards
    -- NEBS and ETSI compliant
    -- Supported by Advanced HA Service for Linux shelf management and Linux
       or VxWorks blade software

    The members of Motorola's MXP family released to date are:
    -- MXP3121: PICMG 2.16 platform
    -- MXP3221: PICMG 2.16 Ethernet and H.110 platform
    -- MXP3321: PICMG 2.16 and PICMG 2.20 CSMB platform

Print quality photos of the MXP family and supporting products are available to download at www.motorola.com/mediacenter under 'graphix', click on 'Embedded Computing Building Blocks'.

About Motorola

Motorola Computer Group, a business unit of the Motorola Integrated Electronic Systems Sector (IESS), is leading the innovation of intelligent building blocks for standards-based embedded computing. These building blocks include open-architecture hardware, rich software and application-ready platforms that enable equipment manufacturers to quickly and cost-effectively embed leading-edge functionality into their next-generation systems. By working with Motorola, manufacturers of telecommunications, industrial automation, medical imaging, and defense and aerospace equipment can rapidly develop and deploy the systems upon which they build their applications. For more than 20 years Motorola has driven industry standards and pioneered technologies based on them and the company continues to support its customers over the long term by providing clear migration paths allowing applications to evolve with the advancements in technology. More information can be found at www.motorola.com/computer.

Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) is a global leader in providing integrated communications and embedded electronic solutions. Sales in 2001 were $30 billion. For more information, please visit: www.motorola.com

MOTOROLA, the Stylized M Logo are registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office. PICMG and CompactPCI are registered trademarks of the PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group. AdvancedTCA is a trademark of the PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group. All other product or service names are property of their respective owners.