Switch-on-a-chip ICs offer power savings and tiny footprint

Micrel Inc. announces the KSZ8873/KSZ8863 series of highly integrated 3-port switch-on-a-chip ICs offering a very small footprint. The ICs are designed to enable a new generation of low port count, cost-sensitive, and power efficient 10/100 Mbps switch systems. Lower power consumption, advanced power management schemes, and sophisticated QoS features (including IPv6 priority classification) make these solutions suitable for IPTV, IP-STB, Voice-over-IP, media converter, automotive, and industrial applications. Volume quantities are available now and samples can be ordered at the company’s website.

The high integration of the KSZ8873/KSZ8863 series includes an on-chip LDO and an internally generated clock for the RMII interface, all of which reduce system cost and simplify system design. The interface configurations provided by the new series, IEEE802.3-compliant transceiver interfaces and MII/RMII interfaces, enable the flexibility to meet the requirements of different applications. Enhanced QoS features, including traffic prioritization and source address filtering, facilitate implementation of advanced QoS policies in switch systems. The easy-to-use LinkMD cable diagnostics support quick resolution of common cabling problems and reduce costly network downtime. Auto-MDI/MDIX eliminates the need for crossover cable, thus reducing installation costs.

For more information, contact Micrel Inc., 2180 Fortune Dr., San Jose, CA 95131. Phone: (408) 944-0800.