Cypress Sends out 9.6 Gbps QuadPort Datapath Switch Element

Cypress Semiconductor is now sampling 16 kbits x 18 and 32 kbits x 18 versions of its QuadPort Datapath Switch Element (DSE) family. Cypress says these communications devices are targeted at high-end storage area networks (SANs), high-speed wide-area networks (WANs) and wireless infrastructure (WIN) applications. The gadgets can be put to work as a 4 x 4 switch fabric among four FPGAs, CPLDs, ASICs, PHYs or a series of digital signal processors (DSPs); a redundant data path generator that allows users to input a single stream of data into one port and then output identical data streams at variable data rates on each of the other ports for fault tolerance; a packet header manipulation engine by using two ports to read and write an entire packet and one or two ports to monitor and/or change the header; or a replacement for the data path FPGAs, lowering the logic gate count for control functions. All the devices in the QuadPort DSE family offer four independent ports that can simultaneously access the data storage array and operate at different frequency domains. Each port can read or write data at 133 MHz, giving the device up to 9.6 Gbps of data throughput or bandwidth. Offered in a 272-ball BGA package, measuring 27 mm x 27 mm with a 1.27 mm pitch, the things also come equipped with a Built-In Self-Test (BIST) and JTAG boundary scan. `Nuff said if you're interested in such stuff, too much if you're not. The DSEs cost between $49 and $98.