Cavium and ARM Strengthen Partnership to Develop Next Generation Multi-Core SoCs for Consumer and Broadband Networking Applications

LAS VEGAS--January 06, 2011--Cavium Networks (NASDAQ:CAVM), a leading provider of semiconductor products that enable intelligent processing for networking, communications, and the digital home, and ARM announced today that Cavium’s next-generation products will be powered by ARM’s Cortex-A family of processor cores. This will provide enterprise-class performance for small and medium business (SMB), and broadband consumer applications using the scalable, multi-core Cortex-A series processors. The Cavium ECONA processor family has been based on ARM processor technology since its inception, first utilizing the ARM9 and then progressing to the ARM11 as market requirements have evolved. The transition to ARM’s Cortex-A series will maintain and further develop Cavium ECONA processors’ industry leading power/performance profile, as the ARM processors are capable of gigahertz-class performance, while demonstrating low-power leadership.

“Multi-core Cortex-A series processors will provide customers with a dramatic increase in performance over SMB networking solutions available today,” explained Ian Drew, Chief Marketing Officer at ARM. “ARM pioneered licensable multi-core processor IP in 2005 with the ARM11 Core, and Cavium Networks’ adoption of the Cortex-A series further is a strong indication of the success of the scalable, multi-core ARM architecture in the networking space.”

Cortex-A series processors are capable of coherent symmetric multi-core operation with up-to four cores with hardware coherency, and have broad multi-core operating system support, including Cavium’s MontaVista Linux distribution. Cavium’s proven success in multi-core system development provides a mature, deployment-ready solution for applications that include broadband networking.

“Cavium’s ECONA and PureVu ARM-based SoCs have propelled Cavium to a leading role in providing energy-efficient, performance-optimized solutions for the digital, broadband-connected home,” said Manoj Gujral, VP/GM of Broadband and Consumer Division at Cavium. “With the explosion of multi-media consumption in the connected home, meeting consumers’ expectations for an enjoyable user experience requires the ability to seamlessly process and manage multiple applications simultaneously and minimize service interruptions. Continuing with ARM along their scalable processor roadmap will extend Cavium’s leadership for broadband consumer applications as well leveraging the ARM ecosystem to enable new markets for Cavium.”

“The combination of ARM’s high-performance, low power multi-core processors with Cavium’s proven expertise in developing highly integrated SoCs will facilitate a new class of products. This will provide customers with best-of-breed technologies for broadband-connected, digital home applications,” said Kurt Scherf, Principal Analyst at Parks Associates. “With the explosion of content creation and consumption via a myriad CE devices within the home, the need for cost-effective platforms that seamlessly process, integrate and distribute this content inside and outside the home is getting more acute. Cavium and ARM continue to deliver solutions that address this challenge.”

The ECONA family of ARM-based, energy efficient processors offers multi-core processors, a rich set of integrated hardware accelerators and a range of I/Os for glueless voice, video and data connectivity. Sophisticated power management techniques enable super low-power operation, starting at less than 1 watt. The ECONA family is targeted for applications that includes FTTH home gateway, network attached storage, small and medium business routers, service provider networking, enterprise wireless access points, multi-media tablets, and multi-function printers.

Also based on ARM technology is Cavium Networks’ family of PureVu™ video processors, that offer the industry’s lowest latency and best price-performance full HD (1080p60) system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution for interactive and recording video applications. The PureVu™ video processor family combines Cavium’s Super-Low-Latency (SLL) H.264 video processor, high performance NITROX security technology, and intelligent networking and packet processing capabilities in a fully integrated SoC that brings the company’s revolutionary WiVu™ technology to a variety of devices in the consumer and enterprise markets. The high degree of integration deployed in the PureVu™ video processor family is intended to provide OEMs with aggressive system bill-of-materials (BOM) cost in order to enable mass market adoption in such devices as flat panel TVs, Blu-ray players, notebook PCs and netbooks, gaming consoles, as well as SMB and SOHO video communication systems.

About Cavium Networks

Cavium Networks is a leading provider of highly integrated semiconductor products that enable intelligent processing in networking, communications, and the digital home. Cavium Networks offers a broad portfolio of integrated, software-compatible processors ranging in performance from 10 Mbps to 40 Gbps that enable secure, intelligent functionality in enterprise, data-center, broadband/consumer and access and service provider equipment. Cavium Networks processors are supported by ecosystem partners that provide operating systems, tool support, reference designs and other services. Cavium Networks principal offices are in Mountain View, CA with design team locations in California, Massachusetts, India and Taiwan. For more information, please visit: http://www.caviumnetworks.com.

About ARM

ARM designs the technology that is at the heart of advanced digital products, from wireless, networking and consumer entertainment solutions to imaging, automotive, security and storage devices. ARM’s comprehensive product offering includes 32-bit RISC microprocessors, graphics processors, video engines, enabling software, cell libraries, embedded memories, high-speed connectivity products, peripherals and development tools. Combined with comprehensive design services, training, support and maintenance, and the company’s broad Partner community, they provide a total system solution that offers a fast, reliable path to market for leading electronics companies.

Find out more about ARM by following these links:

• ARM website: http://www.arm.com/
• ARM Connected Community®: http://www.arm.com/community/
• ARM Blogs: http://blogs.arm.com/