Switch Devices Ramp Up to Terabit Levels to Meet Growing Demand, Heavy Reading Finds

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Makers of switch chipsets and integrated devices are rapidly adding capacity and features to their products to keep ahead of anticipated demand driven by a range of applications, including ever-growing data centers and the arrival of software-defined networking (SDN), according to the latest report from Heavy Reading Components Insider (www.heavyreading.com/commchip), a paid research service of Heavy Reading (www.heavyreading.com).

Integrated Switch Chips: Delivering Terabit Performance details and analyzes high-performance switch chipsets and integrated devices, identifying the key requirements and highlighting the advantages they hold for equipment manufacturers. It also reviews vendor strategies and surveys component features, performance and flexibility. The report covers more than 70 devices and profiles six vendors in this important market.

For a complete list of companies covered in this report, http://img.lightreading.com/cci/pdf/cci0812_companies.pdf

"Global Internet traffic continues to grow rapidly with video services driving exponential growth in both broadband and wireless networks," says Simon Stanley, research analyst for Heavy Reading Components Insider and author of the report. "SDN and support for OpenFlow is making further demands on switching systems. These developments require significant investment in switching for data centers, high-performance computing (HPC), and carrier networks."

Integrated switch devices and switch chipsets are an essential component in most high performance networking systems, Stanley says. "Top-of-rack and end-of-row switches in data centers, high-performance computing, enterprise networks and carrier networks are all shifting to 10-, 40- and 100Gbit/s interconnects," he adds. "The next generation of switch devices will integrate more programmable capabilities and deliver greater performance."

Key findings of Integrated Switch Chips: Delivering Terabit Performance include the following:

• 40/100G ports are growing rapidly across all market segments
• SDN is driving up switch functionality and complexity with support for OpenFlow
• Terabit switch devices are now available from three companies
• The latest switch chipset scales are from 100 Gbit/s to 400 Tbit/s
• Gen3 PCI Express devices will deliver 768Gbit/s switching
• RapidIO Gen 3 promises port bandwidths up to 160 Gbit/s
• Broadcom leads the switch market with multiple solutions, including integrated 10/40GE switch devices and multiservice switch chipsets

Integrated Switch Chips: Delivering Terabit Performance is available as part of an annual single-user subscription (6 issues per year) to Heavy Reading Components Insider, priced at $1,595. Individual reports are available for $900 (single-user license).

For more information about Heavy Reading Components Insider, please visit: www.heavyreading.com/commchip. For more information about other Heavy Reading Insider research services, please visit: www.heavyreading.com/research.

To request a free executive summary of the report, or for details on multi-user licensing options, please contact:

David Williams
Global Director of Sales, Research
Heavy Reading
858-829-8612
dave.williams@heavyreading.com

Press/analyst contact:
Jennifer Baker
Marketing Director, Light Reading Communications Network
617-871-1910
jbaker@lightreading.com

About Heavy Reading (www.heavyreading.com)
Heavy Reading is an independent research organization offering deep analysis of emerging telecom trends to network operators, technology suppliers, and investors. Its product portfolio includes in-depth reports that address critical next-generation technology and service issues, market trackers that focus on the telecom industry's most critical technology sectors, exclusive worldwide surveys of network operator decision-makers that identify future purchasing and deployment plans, and a rich array of custom and consulting services that give clients the market intelligence needed to compete successfully in the global telecom industry. As a telecom research arm of the Light Reading Communications Network (www.lrcn.com), Heavy Reading contributes to the only integrated business information platform serving the global communications industry.

About Light Reading Communications Network (www.lrcn.com)
The Light Reading Communications Network combines the most trusted telecom research brands with award-winning online communities and a rich events portfolio to deliver the only integrated business information platform serving the global communications industry.   With the power of this platform, leaders who build, deploy, finance, and regulate next-generation telecom networks are able to make more informed decisions on emerging market and service opportunities.  Light Reading Communications Network is a division of UBM TechWeb (www.ubmtechweb.com), the global leader in technology media and business information. 

SOURCE Heavy Reading