Advanced 28nm lithography node enables extremely low power dissipation and high performance, setting the stage for mainstream adoption of IEEE 10GBASE-T standard
Marvell announced the Marvell® Alaska® X 88X3240P quad-port Ethernet PHY, designed to bring the benefits of IEEE 10GBASE-T standard to a host of equipment types, ranging from data center and enterprise switches to storage and server equipment.
According to Crehan Research, 10GBASE-T shipments have almost doubled year-over-year, outpacing the growth of all other 10 Gbps Ethernet connections. “Marvell’s new 28nm device should further accelerate 10GBASE-T adoption by providing breakthrough power dissipation capabilities in an ultra-small package, positioning the technology for future computing, switching, and storage application deployments,” said Seamus Crehan, President of Crehan Research.
The 88X3240P delivers 10Gbps Ethernet connectivity over unshielded twisted-pair copper cabling adhering to structured wiring rules and distances in excess of 100 meters. With industry leading low power consumption and an ultra-small 23mm x 23mm package, the device is ideally suited for high-density applications such as top of rack switches.
In addition, the 88X3240P is capable of superior Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI) mitigation using common mode sense algorithms that do not rely on expensive so-called “5th channel” magnetics. The single chip monolithic device contains advanced features such as Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE), IEEE 1588 Precision Timing Protocol (PTP), and MACsec link security encryption support.
Marvell’s 88X3240P is the company’s first Ethernet transceiver manufactured in 28nm lithography and is a true game changer. Until now, 100 meter - 10Gbps data rates were dominated by the use of more expensive optical module technology and thus did not gain traction with conventional applications. The transceiver is a lower cost alternative to optical modules and can bring 10Gps data rates to mainstream applications.
X3240 Product Highlights:
- Energy Efficient Ethernet, IEEE 1588 PTP and MACsec support
- Lower power and latency for short data center cables
- Dual media support and auto-media detection for plug-and-play connectivity to either copper or fiber media
- Integrated Marvell Virtual Cable Testing® (VCT) technology
