PowerPC SoCs gain security hardware

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May 19, 2005

AMCC is sampling the first processors in its line of low-cost, low-power PowerPC SoCs (system-on-chips) processors to include security processing hardware. The 440EPx and 440GRx target networking and pervasive computing applications, such as printing/imaging, wireless access, industrial control, and media processing. They can process 500Mbps of SSL/IPsec traffic, AMCC says.

AMCC acquired the 400 series embedded PowerPC processor family from IBM in April, 2004, for $227 million, in a deal that also included access to IBM's SoC design methodology and advanced CMOS process technology. Since then, AMCC has marketed a number of special-purpose 400-series SoCs to Linux developers, including the 440GR and 440GX for networking and control-plane applications, the 440SPe storage processor, and others. The 440EPx and 440GRx are the first of AAMC's 400-series chips to include security hardware.

On-chip peripheral interfaces in both new SoCs include:

64-bit DDR I or DDR II SDRAM controller with optional ECC protection
32-bit PCI 2.2 compliant interface
dual Gigabit Ethernet MACs
four UARTs
one Serial Communications Port
two I2C units
NAND-Flash controller, general purpose I/Os, and programmable interrupt control

The 440GRx adds a double-precision FPU (floating point unit) and USB 2.0 host/device port with integrated PHY. It clocks to 667 MHz, with a superscalar architecture that can execute two instructions per clock cycle, AMCC says.

AMCC PowerPC 440EPx SoC block diagram
(Click to enlarge)

AMCC PowerPC 440GRx SoC block diagram
(Click to enlarge)
Microprocessor Report's editor-in-chief, Kevin Krewell, said, "AMCC’s newly introduced security-enabled processors -- the 440GRx and 440EPx -- will provide a deeper level of security for networking and pervasive applications, while maintaining a high level of system performance."

Availability

The 440EPx and 440GRx are expected to be available in the fourth quarter of 2005, according to AMCC. Network device middleware and tools vendor SafeNet says its QuickSec suite will support the chips; QuickSec is available for generic Linux, MontaVista Linux, and VxWorks. AMCC's 400-series chips are supported by commercial Linux vendors that include Sysgo and LynuxWorks.

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