Fulcrum, Ixia Demo Test Solution for Low Latency, High Port Density Switches

Ixia to Use Fulcrum FocalPoint Router Chips in Demo of New10G Ethernet IxYukon Load Module: Fulcrum Microsystems and Ixia today announced a joint test demonstration at Interop, Las Vegas 2008, which will highlight the high density of Ixia’s new 10G Ethernet IxYukon load modules and the low-latency switching of Fulcrum’s port-dense FocalPoint FM4000 router chip family. The demonstration will be on display in Ixia’s booth #2011 at Interop, Las Vegas NV, April 28–May 1 and will feature Ixia’s newest generation of testing modules working with Fulcrum’s 24-port 10-Gigabit Ethernet reference design featuring its FocalPoint FM4000 L3 router chip family. Ixia’s new 10G Ethernet IxYukon test module is the industry’s highest density and most affordable layer 2-7 10G Ethernet IP testing solution for high-density 10G Ethernet switches designed for deployment in next-generation data centers. When used with the Ixia XM12 chassis, Ixia’s solution offers a greener alternative, requiring just one-quarter of the laboratory space, one-half the power consumption and lower heat generation. The space, energy and cost savings available with the new 10G Ethernet IxYukon modules radically lower Total Cost of Ownership. Leveraging Ixia’s converged testing applications, IxLoad and IxNetwork, Ixia’s new 10G Ethernet IxYukon load module is capable of accurately testing FM4000-series devices, which offer lower latency and higher scalability than any other 10G Ethernet switching silicon on the market. “As the datacenter continues to evolve toward a more unified model, 10G Ethernet is the leading candidate to take over as the fabric for that convergence,” said Anupam Sahai, vice president of Marketing for Ixia. “The new 10G Ethernet IxYukon load module gives vendors the ability to test the latency and scalability of the components they place within their platforms to ensure that they are able to build out their own Ethernet-based converged datacenter systems.” The FM4000 family of layer 3/4 router chips features full IP routing latency of 300 nanoseconds, the industry’s lowest, in an integrated 24-port device, making it the first silicon on the market to combine the low latency and port density for high-performance computing and clustered storage applications. “Datacenter Ethernet fabrics must perform with the same low latency and scalability as previous fabric technologies such as InfiniBand,” said Mike Zeile, vice president of marketing for Fulcrum Microsystems. “With FocalPoint, we’ve produced the lowest latency, highest density 10G Ethernet silicon on the market, and with Ixia’s testing solution, our customers can be absolutely sure of our chip’s performance while developing their systems.”