QLogic and Broadcom First to Demonstrate End-to-End Interoperability for 25Gb and 100Gb Ethernet

Industry Leaders Advance Next-Generation Ethernet Solutions for High-Performance Computing Environments With End-to End Interoperability at 25Gb and 100Gb Speeds


ALISO VIEJO, Calif., Jan. 27, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- QLogic Corp. (Nasdaq:QLGC), a leading supplier of high performance network infrastructure solutions, today announced the demonstration of the industry's first end-to-end 25Gb and 100Gb Ethernet solution. Developed in collaboration with Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq:BRCM), the platform combines Broadcom's high-performance StrataXGS® Tomahawk™ Switch Series and QLogic's cLOM8514 next-generation Ethernet controller, marking the industry's first cross-vendor interoperability of 25Gb and100Gb Ethernet switches and controllers.

Supporting 10/25/40/100Gb Ethernet port speeds, the combination of the Broadcom® StrataXGS Tomahawk switch and the QLogic® cLOM8514 controller is able to address all next-generation server and storage to top-of-rack connectivity requirements in the data center.

"Whether you're talking about hyper scale, private cloud or on-premise enterprise computing, data centers are still at the heart of business IT, and I/O is the lifeblood of high performance business applications," said Vikram Karvat, vice president of products, marketing and planning, QLogic. "25GbE represents a radical improvement in value for the IT manager, enabling higher connectivity densities, a 2.5X increase in performance per link over 10GbE, and improvement in TCO via lower infrastructure costs compared to 40GbE. Because of these factors, we expect 25GbE to change the networking landscape over the next two to three years."

"Broadcom's collaboration with QLogic to demonstrate the first working end-to-end 25Gb and 100Gb Ethernet solution attests to our shared vision of driving rapid innovation in data center networking," said Rochan Sankar, Broadcom director of product marketing, Network Switch. "QLogic's network controller leverages a common 25Gbps transceiver technology with our StrataXGS Tomahawk Switch Series, and we've proven out the protocol interoperability over 25Gb and 100Gb Ethernet links. Together we're paving the way for substantially greater capacity, scalability, and cost efficiency of next-generation server and storage interconnect."

25Gb and 100Gb Ethernet are complementary interconnect technologies for the next-generation data center. Both specifications leverage a common 25Gbps per-lane signaling scheme, with 25GbE utilizing one lane and 100GbE utilizing four lanes. 100Gb Ethernet is a released IEEE standard today; 25Gb Ethernet is an emerging standard, initiated via the 25 Gigabit Ethernet Consortium and now an approved project within the IEEE (802.3by). 25Gb Ethernet provides 2.5X the performance of 10Gb Ethernet (10GbE) on a single lane of copper making it a cost-effective upgrade to 10GbE infrastructure, while 100Gb Ethernet provides the absolute highest performance for the most demanding applications.

Both QLogic and Broadcom are driving future 25Gb Ethernet solutions through active membership in the 25 Gigabit Ethernet Consortium. The consortium is devoted to establishing and evangelizing a new, standardized specification to allow data center network transmissions to run over a 25Gb or 50Gb Ethernet link protocol. Whereas today's 40Gb Ethernet networks require four 10GbE lanes, the specification adopted by the consortium prescribes a single-lane 25Gb Ethernet and dual-lane 50Gb Ethernet link protocol, enabling up to 250 percent more bandwidth. The resulting benefits are lower costs and easier deployments.

QLogic Ethernet Adapter Solutions: High Performance with Flexibility

By delivering high performance Ethernet with low CPU utilization, QLogic adapters excel in virtualized environments. Featuring multiple protocol offload and concurrent LAN (TCP/IP) and SAN (FCoE, iSCSI) protocol processing over a shared Ethernet link, QLogic adapters offer maximum flexibility. Ultra-low CPU utilization frees up server cycles for business-critical applications and the increased mobility of virtual machines (VMs).

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QLogic – the Ultimate in Performance

QLogic (Nasdaq:QLGC) is a global leader and technology innovator in high performance server and storage networking connectivity products. Leading OEMs and channel partners worldwide rely on QLogic for their server and storage networking solutions. For more information, visit www.qlogic.com.

Disclaimer – Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements relating to future results of the company (including certain beliefs and projections regarding business and market trends) that are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied in the forward-looking statements. The company advises readers that these potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: potential fluctuations in operating results; gross margins that may vary over time; unfavorable economic conditions; the stock price of the company may be volatile; the company's dependence on the networking markets served; the ability to maintain and gain market or industry acceptance of the company's products; the company's dependence on a small number of customers; the company's ability to compete effectively with other companies; uncertain benefits from strategic business combinations, acquisitions and divestitures; the ability to attract and retain key personnel; the complexity of the company's products; declining average unit sales prices of comparable products; the company's dependence on sole source and limited source suppliers; the company's dependence on relationships with certain third-party subcontractors and contract manufacturers; sales fluctuations arising from customer transitions to new products; seasonal fluctuations and uneven sales patterns in orders from customers; changes in the company's tax provisions or adverse outcomes resulting from examination of its income tax returns; international economic, currency, regulatory, political and other risks; facilities of the company and its suppliers and customers are located in areas subject to natural disasters; the ability to protect proprietary rights; the ability to satisfactorily resolve any infringement claims; a reduction in sales efforts by current distributors; declines in the market value of the company's marketable securities; changes in and compliance with regulations; difficulties in transitioning to smaller geometry process technologies; the use of "open source" software in the company's products; system security risks, data protection breaches and cyber-attacks; and the company's ability to borrow under its credit agreement is subject to certain covenants.

More detailed information on these and additional factors that could affect the company's operating and financial results are described in the company's Forms 10-K, 10-Q and other reports filed, or to be filed, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company urges all interested parties to read these reports to gain a better understanding of the business and other risks that the company faces. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made only as of the date hereof, and the company does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

QLogic and the QLogic logo are registered trademarks of QLogic Corporation. Other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of the companies with which they are associated.



            

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