Aitech Defense Systems Inc., a pioneer in true embedded and mission critical computing technologies for environmentally-demanding military, defense and aerospace applications, now offers the rugged C660, first in a new series of high-performance, single-slot Gigabit Ethernet switches.

The new 6U CompactPCI PICMG 2.16 compatible switch serves as a robust communications backbone for moving massive amounts of data around tightly coupled processing or I/O data concentrators, typically found in embedded telecom, military, aerospace and spacecraft applications.

Aitech's versatile new Gigabit Ethernet switch can be installed in rack-mounted equipment and backplanes or packaged in stand-alone rugged subsystems. This new full wire speed, non-blocking switch provides high-speed connectivity and traffic management for streaming video, audio and data. It performs advanced switching and routing tasks including traffic prioritization, trunking, filtering and mirroring in the hardware, rather than using the software router stack, freeing the CPU resources for application processing.

The C660 uses Marvell's BobCat Gigabit Ethernet (BobCat-GE) switch controller and Marvell MTS management suite to perform Layer 2 and 3 routing and switching for 24 Gigabit Ethernet ports and up to four 10-Gigabit Ethernet ports. Frame switching for Layer 2 is based on MAC address information, while Layer 3 is based on network-layer information (IP).

Six multi-rate network quad SERDES ports, connected to six quad PHY controllers, support the 24 Gigabit Ethernet ports in 1000Base-T format or 16 1000Base-T format ports plus 8 serial 1000Base-X port formats. An eight port version can be factory configured to support Fiber Optic links (1000Base-X). Four XAUI links provide connection to the four 10-Gigabit Ethernet ports through front panel SFP+ modules.

An integrated, low power, high performance ARM-compatible Sheeva CPU core operating at 800 MHz functions as the service processor and interfaces to the high-speed DDRII-320 MHz memory controller.

The C660's simplified, web-based interface provides an intuitive management tool for convenient use of the switch's comprehensive feature set to build and manage better-optimized networks. On-board management devices include a power controller, an elapsed time recorder, temperature sensors and RTC residing on the BobCat-GE I2C bus.

Moshe Tal, president and CEO of Aitech, notes, "As both data and telecommunications continue to converge in IP-based networking, these types of switches have become increasingly important. At Aitech, our customers benefit from our ability and willingness to take these products and customize them, where necessary, to meet their programs' requirements."

All switches will be available in vibration- and shock-resistant versions, compliant to commercial, rugged and military specifications with a maximum operating temperature range of -55�C to +85�C.

Tal added, "Since Aitech's inception nearly 30 years ago, our company has continued to provide our military and space customers with products tested and guaranteed to operate over the full military temperature range of -55�C to +85�C, unlike most other COTS board manufacturers."

The mechanical and electrical design of these switches guarantees reliable operation over the full range of military and rugged application environments. The switches are available in industry-standard 0.8" pitch for the VME and CompactPCI versions.

The VPX version comes in 0.8", 0.85" and 1.0" pitch conduction-cooled or 1.0" pitch air-cooled form factors as well as in the VITA 48 (VPX REDI) format with ESD covers to support two level maintenance LRM requirements for the 0.85" pitch version.

Tal adds, "In addition, a multi-port XMC GbE switch will also be available."