Marvell Touts New Ethernet Architecture

SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- Marvell(R) (NASDAQ: MRVL), a technology leader in the development of extreme broadband communications and storage solutions, today announced the release of its innovative Distributed Switching Architecture (DSA) Technology. This technology is used to easily develop scalable, and reliable networking solutions that are the foundation for common distributed cascade and stacking switching/routing topologies. The new technology will address the ever-increasing demand for robust solutions without any feature degradation for both the wiring closet and enterprise backbone markets.

In the modern stackable Ethernet switch, innovative switching silicon needs to be coupled with advanced software and a forceful silicon driver. The combination of the two in Marvell's DSA Technology allows networks to be reconfigured without rebooting individual switches and interconnected with high-speed links to act as a single, larger switch. Marvell's DSA was developed based on many years of experience in software and hardware and leverages Marvell's expertise in distributed system design, advanced API and driver technology.

DSA offers users versatile solutions by enabling different types of Marvell devices to be integrated into the same unit, which provides the best of breed features such as high port density and cost optimization. Similarly DSA enabled units can be connected in various topologies including ring, chain, star and other chassis based configurations. This feature allows network and IT managers to expand and optimize the utilization of their networks by easily adding switches to existing stacks without network disruption.

"Marvell's DSA enabled switching devices allow intelligent applications to reside at the edge of the network by simply adding additional switches to the stack to increase port capability and processing power, said Paul Valentine, Marvell's Senior Director, Product Marketing. This will enable applications such as security, QoS, Voice over IP and Video over IP that our customers demand."

Marvell Technology Group Ltd.