Cavium Networks Launches Industry's Broadest Line of Single and Dual Core MIPS64(R)-based OCTEON(TM) Processors Targeting Intelligent Next Generation Networks

New OCTEON SoC Processors Introduce Highly Integrated, Cost Effective 64-bit Computing for Networking, Wireless, Control, and Storage Applications

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- Jan. 30, 2006 -- Cavium Networks, a world leader in security, network services and embedded processor solutions, today unveiled ten new highly integrated single and dual core MIPS64 processors starting at under $20 price points. The new SoC (system on chip) processors integrate a custom MIPS64 processor core with the industry's most advanced multi-layer application acceleration and security processing hardware, along with a wide range of networking I/O options to deliver breakthrough features, price/performance and power for next generation networking, wireless, control and storage applications. The new OCTEON CN31XX and CN30XX family of processors are fully software compatible with the market leading OCTEON CN38XX family of multi-core processors. The OCTEON family now delivers industry's most scalable line of compatible MIPS64 processors from single core to sixteen cores. This enables OEMs to build equipment at a wide range of price performance points with a common software code base that results in dramatic reductions in development cost and time-to-market. The OCTEON processor family is being designed into a wide array of networking equipment, including routers, switches, unified threat management (UTM) appliances, application- aware gateways, triple-play gateways, WLAN and 3G access and aggregation devices and storage networking equipment.

Secure, Content and Application Aware Networks

Networks are evolving to deliver a flexible mix of data, voice and video content. Data rates are increasing with the deployment of technologies such as Gigabit Ethernet, GPON, VDSL2, 802.11n and 3G/4G wireless technologies. In addition, application delivery mandates the need to process intelligent Layer 3 to Layer 7 data and content at line rate. Multi-layer security including encryption, authentication, Intrusion Prevention and Anti-Virus has also become a necessity. Furthermore, multifunction integration of routing, security, wireless, VoIP and storage functionality is becoming important. Existing processors lack the horsepower to meet the demands of today's networks. Current solutions use a GHz class processor along with several coprocessors and FPGAs that results in performance bottlenecks, unacceptably high cost and power. The new OCTEON CN31XX and CN30XX processors have been architected to address all the requirements for next generation IPv4 and IPv6 networks cost effectively. The OCTEON processors integrate extensive hardware acceleration options for Layer 3 to Layer 7 data, content and security processing. These accelerators offload the 64 bit MIPS CPU and reduce CPU clock rates required to achieve Gigabit line rates resulting in a substantial reduction in power and cost, thereby enabling widespread deployment in a scalable manner from 100 Mbps to multi-Gbps.

"Cavium Networks' new processors include the most comprehensive set of security and application acceleration functions in any low-cost processor," said Linley Gwennap, Principal Analyst at the Linley Group. "With these products, Cavium is unique in offering a software-compatible family scaling from a single general-purpose CPU to 16 CPUs in a single chip. This breadth will allow customers to develop standard C-based programs and leverage this software into many types of networking equipment at multiple price/performance points."

The OCTEON CN31XX and CN30XX Family of Processors

The OCTEON CN31XX and CN30XX processors are based on the same custom cnMIPS64 CPU core as in the currently available CN38XX and CN36XX family of processors. The core has been developed from the ground up for the highest networking and services performance with very low power consumption. The cnMIPS core is the industry's first implementation of MIPS64 Release 2 instruction set with a 5-stage, dual-issue superscalar architecture, sophisticated pre-fetching and optimized cache and memory latencies. Each processor has 1 or 2 cnMIPS cores, along with up to 256KB L2 cache and features an extensive set of I/Os including Gigabit Ethernet networking interfaces, PCI/PCI-X, DDR2, USB 2.0 with PHY, TDM/PCM for Voice applications, and other standard I/O such as GPIO, SPI, UARTs and Expansion bus. The processors vary in frequency from 300MHz to 550MHz. Maximum power consumption of the parts ranges from under 2 Watts to 7 Watts while application performance ranges from several hundred Mbps to 2Gbps.

The CN31XX and CN30XX processors are available with an extensive set of hardware acceleration options. Each processor is available in CP (Communication Processor), SCP (Secure Communication Processor) and NSP (Network Services Processor, available on CN31XX only) versions. The CP version includes hardware acceleration for Packet Processing, TCP, Queuing/Scheduling and QoS. The SCP version adds acceleration for IPsec/SSL, SRTP and WLAN security. The NSP further adds acceleration for Deep Packet Inspection and Compression /Decompression. Details of application acceleration features are:

• Extensive L2-L4 hardware based packet processing and buffer management engines for IPv4 and IPv6 packets
• TCP hardware acceleration includes comprehensive checks, tag--- generation, checksums, timer and buffer management
• Queuing/Scheduling and QoS hardware implements packet input queuing/scheduling based on diffserv, QoS/ToS, Input ports or a combination. Output packet queuing and scheduling based on fixed prioritization and or weighted fair queuing (WFQ)
• Future-proof security hardware acceleration includes full offload for IPsec, SSL, SRTP and WLAN 802.11i security and support for all standard algorithms including DES/3DES, AES up to 256bit, AES-GCM, AES-XCBC, ARC4, MD5, SHA-1, SHA-2 up to SHA-512, RSA up to 4096 bit, Diffie-Hellman and a true hardware random number generator
• Compression/decompression hardware acceleration implements GZIP, PKZIP and variant protocols to deliver industry's best compression ratio at multi-gigabit throughputs
• Deep Packet Inspection is enabled through 8 Pattern matching hardware acceleration engines. These engines perform stateful pattern analysis for intrusion detection, anti-virus and content based switching, routing and filtering applications

OCTEON CN31XX Processors for SME, Enterprise and Control-Plane Applications

The OCTEON CN31XX Processor Family includes the CN3110 and the CN3120 Processors. The CN3120 features dual cnMIPS64 cores while the CN3110 features a single cnMIPS64 core at up to 550MHz with 256KB L2 cache. The I/Os include 3 GE interfaces, 64 bit DDR2-667, optional second 16 bit DDR2 for pattern storage, TDM/PCM, 32/100 PCI-X, USB 2.0 in an 868pin BGA package with 4 - 7W power consumption. Each processor is available in CP, SCP and NSP versions. These processors are ideal for Enterprise Routers, Gateways, UTM appliances, Service cards and Triple Play gateways. The CN31XX Processor Family provides multi-Gbps performance at less than a third system power and cost compared to alternative solutions.

OCTEON CN30XX Processors for SOHO/SME and Control-Plane Applications

The OCTEON CN30XX Processor Family includes the CN3005 and CN3010 Processors. The CN3005 processor includes a cnMIPS core at up to 400MHz, 64KB L2 cache, 16 bit DDR2, two GE interfaces, 32/66 PCI, USB 2.0 in a 350pin BGA package with a low power consumption of 2-3W. The CN3010 processor include a cnMIPS processor core at up to 500MHz, 128KB L2 cache, 32 bit DDR2, 3 GE interfaces, TDM/PCM, 32/66 PCI, USB 2.0 in a 525pin BGA package with a very low 2-4W power consumption. Each processor is available in CP and SCP versions. These processors are ideal for Wired and Wireless (802.11a/b/g/n) Broadband Routers and Gateways, Wireless Access Points and Home NAS products. The CN30XX Processor Family brings for the first time to the marketplace 64 bit computing with an integrated Level 2 cache at sub $20.

Standard Operating System and C Software

OCTEON processors support standard operating systems including Linux®, MontaVista® Linux and Wind River® VxWorks® along with a thin executive for fast-path data-plane software. Cavium Networks provides a complete Software Development Kit with Linux, GNU tool-chain, GDB development environment and popular third party tool-chain and development support that enables thousands of MIPS32, MIPS64 and other C/C++ applications to be easily ported to OCTEON. Additionally, Cavium Networks provides APIs, L2 to L4 reference software, WLAN drivers and software toolkits for IPsec, SSL, SSL-VPN and TCP stacks, to enable quick time to market.

"The new OCTEON processors are a result of our relentless focus on top-to- bottom scalability. They leverage our extensive expertise and core competence in networking, security and application delivery. These products will enable OEM customers to deliver high performance, cost effective products for secure, triple-play, content aware networks, said Syed Ali, President and CEO of Cavium Networks. "With this addition to the OCTEON family, we now offer the broadest lineup of integrated MIPS64 processors to enable unprecedented software re-use by our customers across a wide range of price and performance points."

Availability and Pricing

Samples for OCTEON CN31XX will be available in Q1 '06 and those for OCTEON CN30XX will be available in Q2 '06. Pricing for CN31XX ranges from $49 to $125 for 10K unit quantities and pricing for CN30XX ranges from $19 to $39 in 50K unit quantities.

About Cavium Networks

Cavium Networks is a world leader in security, network services and embedded processing semiconductor solutions. Cavium Networks' award-winning NITROX® and MIPS64-based OCTEON families of processors and accelerator boards offer flexible, scalable and highly integrated solutions delivering 50Mbps to 10Gbps performance. The company's products are integrated into a wide range of networking equipment that include routers, gateways, network appliances, content switches, wireless LAN access/aggregation points, servers and storage networking devices. Cavium Networks is headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley in Mountain View, CA with development centers in Marlboro, MA and Hyderabad, India. For more information, please visit: http://www.caviumnetworks.com .