Santa Clara, California — Network processor specialist Bay Microsystems has teamed with IBM to demonstrate nteroperability between IBM's PowerPRS Q-64G packet routing switch and Bay's Montego OC192c/10G network processor/traffic manager.
Initially, engineers have integrated IBM's PRS C192 fabricinterface chip directly on to Bay's Internetworking Development System (IDS).
The IDS significantly reduces development time required by designers of communication systems, ranging from 16 port 1Gbit Ethernet up to OC192c, by providing an integrated platform for hardware and software development.
As part of the co-operation, Bay Microsystems has joined the IBM PartnerWorld for Developers program.
"Glueless" interoperability is achieved between Montego and PowerPRS Q-64G through mutual support of the Network Processor Forum's Common Switch Interface Consortium (CSIX). With mutual support for "over speed" the IDS can demonstrate operation of up to 16Gb/s between the Montego NPU/TM and the PowerPRS Switch Fabric, an industry first for a system using products from more than one vendor.
"IBM is a dominant player in the switch fabric market and Bay Microsystems' announcement should be viewed as a significant accomplishment by both parties," commented Eric Mantion, Senior Analyst for In-Stat/MDR. "The smaller OEMs should find that this advancement will significantly accelerate their time-to-market in many of the most coveted markets such as wireless infrastructure equipment and metro optical switching platforms."
"Many component companies allude to interoperability, but few actually put their own hardware to task," said Chuck Gershman, co-founder and senior vice president at Bay Microsystems. "With advanced hierarchical scheduling, shaping and flow control mechanisms, Montego provides the most sophisticated traffic management features available in the industry at OC192c data rates."
