Broadcom Announces Server-Class ARMv8-A Multi-Core Processor Architecture

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

News Highlights:

• Quad-issue, quad-threaded 64-bit ARMv8-A core with superscalar out-of-order execution delivers true server-class performance
• Core enables 3-GHz performance in the advanced 16-nm FINFET process node
• Partnership with ARM aims to define and develop an open, ISA-independent Network Function Virtualization (NFV) software environment

Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a global innovation leader in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications, today announced the architecture for a new generation of multicore processors, featuring the industry's highest performance 64-bit ARM® core. Using its ARMv8-A architectural license, Broadcom is developing an innovative new CPU core with true server-class performance for NFV, with best-in-class virtualized accelerators for networking, communications, big data, storage and security applications. Visit www.broadcom.com to learn more.

Exponential growth in worldwide network traffic from connected devices and cloud services is creating a need for service providers to migrate to agile and flexible cloud-based networks that support dynamically changing services and workloads. To support this next wave of virtualization, Broadcom will deliver a new class of processors optimized to drive the highest computational performance for control and data plane processing and the highest throughput for networking functions like security and packet processing.

"By offering the industry's highest performance ARM-based multi-core processor architecture, Broadcom is expanding its technical leadership in multiple generations of multi-core processing," said Ron Jankov, Broadcom Senior Vice President and General Manager, Processor and Wireless Infrastructure. "Our innovations in the CPU core and comprehensive virtualization, along with our adoption of 16-nm FINFET technology, will further separate us from our competitors."

Broadcom is also announcing its partnership with ARM to define and develop an open, standards-based NFV software environment for the ARM ecosystem. Through joint engagements with leading service providers, and as members of the Linaro Networking Group and European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), the two companies are working to standardize the environment's programming model, tool chains, application programming interfaces and networking-specific libraries across the industry. By making the software environment portable across platforms and instruction sets, equipment manufacturers designing NFV solutions to meet next-generation carrier-class requirements will benefit from both enhanced code portability and faster development time.

"ARM and Broadcom have enjoyed a close and long-standing partnership. We are now pleased to see Broadcom leverage the ARMv8-A architecture and push the envelope with a very high-performance processing solution for the communications market," said Tom Cronk, executive vice president and general manager, Processor Division, ARM. "Broadcom is taking a leadership role in helping us to drive an open, standards-based NFV software environment. This environment will enable the efficient and intelligent technology needed by businesses and consumers in our increasingly connected and data-hungry world."

With the open, portable software environment, Broadcom customers will be able to seamlessly migrate designs based on Broadcom's market-leading XLP® II family of multi-core processors to the new ARMv8-A processor architecture, while preserving software investment. The most recently introduced XLP II family member, the XLP980 provides best-in-class performance and features for NFV applications with 160 Gbps of application throughput, full end-to-end virtualization of CPUs, accelerators and I/Os and up to 100 Gbps of security acceleration.

"Given ever-increasing network bandwidth and new services, network managers are looking to virtualize network functions in order to improve scalability and efficiency across the entire network," said Linley Gwennap, Principal Analyst of The Linley Group. "Broadcom's new quad-issue, quad-threaded, out-of-order processor design takes the ARM architecture to a new level of performance, raising the bar for other multi-core processor vendors. Because of its architectural innovations and 16-nm process, we expect the design to deliver outstanding performance on both single-threaded and multithreaded workloads."

Broadcom will present additional details on the new 64-bit ARMv8 processor architecture at the Linley Tech Processor Conference at 9:45 a.m. on October 16, 2013.

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About Broadcom

Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a FORTUNE 500® company, is a global leader and innovator in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom® products seamlessly deliver voice, video, data and multimedia connectivity in the home, office and mobile environments. With the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip and embedded software solutions, Broadcom is changing the world by Connecting everything®. For more information, go to www.broadcom.com.

Broadcom®, the pulse logo, Connecting everything®, the Connecting everything logo, and XLP® II are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU.  Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

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SOURCE Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Infrastructure & Networking