LONDON — Power over Ethernet specialist PowerDsine has started sampling a single chip, 12-channel PoE device developed in conjunction with Motorola which it claims can reduce the bill of materials for an enterprise LAN switch by up to 80% compared with previous PoE solutions.
The PD64012 Power over Ethernet Manager is an IEEE 802.3af-compliant chip made using Motorola Semiconductor Products' SmartMOS8 process technology, integrating power, analog and advanced digital logic functions into one device.
Its use in Ethernet switches and midspans -an alternative for power sourcing equipment - will allow next generation network devices to share power and data over the same cable.
The part integrates a high-voltage ASIC and digital controller and increases port connections from eight to 12.
"With over 30 design-ins at the major Ethernet switch manufacturers, PowerDsine is determined to provide our current and new customers with the best and most cost-effective PoE solution on the market," said Igal Rotem, chief executive officer of PowerDsine (Hod Hasharon, Israel).
PowerDsine is one of the pioneers of the PoE business, and had great influence in developing the IEEE802.3af standard that was finally ratified in June. PoE enables a significant reduction in power supply costs for wireless LANs, Internet Protocol phones, security gear and other powered data terminals.
Other companies that supply chips for PoE applications include Texas Instruments, Linear Technology and Maxim Integrated Products. Switch suppliers include Nortel, Fujitsu, Cisco and Avaya.
PowerDsine claims its part, which integrates the per-channel Field Effect Transistor (FET) directly into the ASIC, gives it a significant cost and technical advantage over its competitors.
"On the terminal side, adding PoE capability will on average cost an extra 70 cents," Amin Lehr, vice president for business development and strategic planning at PowerDsine told CommsDesign.com earlier this year. "And on the network side, I expect a PoE-enabled switch will cost not more than 25 percent extra over a normal Ethernet port."
Lehr said existing installations indicate PoE can save 50 percent of overall costs by eliminating separate electrical wiring and power outlets.
"In the next five years more than 75 percent of enterprise network devices will be able to be powered by Ethernet," he said.
Volume production of the 12-Channel PoE Manager is expected to start during the fist quarter of 2004.
