SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Startup security processor developer Cavium Networks Inc. will announce a partnership with Abit Computer Corp. this week, under which Abit will add Cavium's Nitrox Lite security processor to motherboards optimized for server-based appliance applications.
During the past few years, large and small security-processor chip companies have talked about how their IC solutions would obviate add-in security cards in networking boxes. In reality, however, many OEMs have leaned away from embedding a security processor directly on a motherboard or line card, and still rely instead on add-in cards to get security features onto a system.
By partnering with Abit, Cavium hopes to break the glass ceiling and make security processors a mainstay on motherboard designs. Abit will integrate Cavium's Nitrox Lite CN1005 processor, which can handle 400 Mbits of IPSec of 3,500 RSA operations per second, on its SI-1N Pentium 4-based motherboards. The Cavium processor will sit as a look-aside processor on the motherboard, said Syed Ali, chief executive officer of Cavium.
What's included
In addition to housing Cavium's processor, Abit's server card includes two fast Ethernet controllers, graphics controllers, a PCI expansion slot, two RJ-45 local-area network connectors, one comms port connector and one VGA connector. The board also comes with open-source application-level software support for virtual private network (VPN) gateways and Secure Sockets Layer Web servers.
The SI-1N is available today from Abit's distributors, resellers and retailers.
