Feb 15, 2010 - Advantech, a global manufacturer of telecom computing blades and multi-core network platforms, announced today the introduction of its MIC-5304 Intelligent Hub blade for 10 GbE ATCA fabrics.

The new blade offers an alternative approach to hub blade design by providing two mid-size AMC sites designed to facilitate control plane processing, integrate acceleration and offload functions, and take full advantage of commercial-off-the-shelf I/O from the AMC ecosystem. By consolidating processing, storage, switching, management and telecom clocking functions, the MIC-5304 ensures design flexibility and seamless integration through open standard hardware and management interfaces.

By adding a Processor AMC (PrAMC) and a Serial-Attached-SCSI (SAS) HDD, the AMC and/or the RTM-5102 rear transition module system node slots can be freed up to accommodate more application payload blades. This is of particular benefit for OEMs deploying systems with lower slot counts. Alternatively, integrating two network processor (NPU) based AMCs can turn the MIC-5304 into an ideal solution for Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) applications, where the NPUs can be used for security protocol handling, packet inspection, and load balancing.

The MIC-5304 joins the growing number of Advantech ATCA blades and demonstrates Advantech’s ability to design and manufacture mission-critical products for the core of the network. Focused on high bandwidth networking and data plane applications, the blades are key building blocks for media gateways, deep packet inspection and media servers, as well as 3G and 4G network elements. The addition of a 10GbE hub blade broadens OEM supplier choice while stimulating hub and switch blade technology refreshes.

 “The MIC-5304 is designed to bring new benefits to ATCA users by offering broader topology options. In applications where control plane processing is non-CPU intensive, a dedicated blade is not only expensive but wastes a valuable slot,” said Ching Ko, ATCA Product Group Manager at Advantech’s Taipei headquarters. “OEMs can achieve increased system density if they can perform more application processing and adjunct functions on the hub blade. Of course, the MIC-5304 can also just be used as a straight forward ATCA hub blade with a competitive price point,” she added.

Architecture

A PowerQuiCC III device functions as a Local Management Processor (LMP) by providing board and switch-level management as well as boot server functionality. The blade incorporates an onboard PCIe switch, connecting the LMP or PrAMC to AMCs configured as PCIe endpoints and to the SAS/SATA mass storage controller. For high availability needs, failover and redundancy between hub blades is fully supported.

The MIC-5304 also provides a comprehensive clocking scheme to meet internal and external Telco clock requirements via mezzanine options, AMCs and Rear Transition Module (RTM) connectivity.

The blade integrates latest Broadcom 10GbE and GbE switch technology and functions as a conventional ATCA hub. With GbE base fabric and 10GbE fabric support for up to 14 blades, packetized data is switched between backplane slots and onboard AMCs in addition to front panel and RTM connectors.

The PowerQuiCC III runs Broadcom’s FASTPATH® Enterprise Software suite for L7 switch management, providing a wide range of switching, routing, QoS, multicast and IPV6 routing functions allowing rapid enterprise-class switch programming.

The MIC-5304 is being sampled now by key OEMs. Volume shipments will begin in 2Q10.