Intel Introduces Comprehensive Set Of PICMG* 2.16 Compliant Communications Building Blocks

New Product Line Supports Standards-Based Packet-Switched Applications for the Modular Network

LOS ANGELES, CA, (TECHSUMMIT 2001), Oct. 22, 2001 -- Intel Corporation today announced its first products in a new line of high-availability communications hardware building blocks built upon an updated CompactPCI* specification.

The products are based upon an industry specification known as the known as PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group (PICMG)*-2.16 Packet Switching Backplane. It defines how Internet Protocol (IP) packets are passed across a backplane that connects multiple switching devices in a network equipment rack.

The products, known as the Intel® NetStructure™ ZT 5504 System Master Processor Board with an Intel® Pentium III processor and the Intel® NetStructure™ ZT 5090 4U General Purpose Packet Switched Platform, include chassis, backplanes, hot-swap power supplies and fail-over capabilities. The ZT5504 is the System Master processing engine for the CompactPCI bus segments. The ZT5090 is a basic platform building block designed to support PICMG 2.16-compliant SBCs, switches, and peripherals. With these products, customers can mix and match switches, single board master computers and chassis to suit their features requirements.

This family of Intel® PICMG* 2.16 products provides telecom, network and computer equipment manufacturers with a comprehensive, cost-effective set of communications boards to quickly deploy packet-switched solutions for high-performance applications such as third generation (3G) wireless cellular services, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and streaming media. Intel plans to introduce additional PICMG 2.16 building blocks for IP networks next year.

"PICMG 2.16 is a natural evolution of CompactPCI for packet-switched applications in converged voice and data networks," said Joe Nardone, director of marketing, Intel Communications Platform Division. "Our line of PICMG 2.16 products are all open, turnkey solutions that empower equipment manufacturers to rapidly develop IP-based solutions."

"Our Aqua Internet encoder enables high-quality content creators and service providers to replace multiple Internet streaming media devices with a single, extremely capable system," said Ross Summers, director of Internet business development for the Grass Valley Group. "Combining our One Pass Encoding technology with the Intel® Netstructure™ ZT 5090 platform makes the Aqua Internet encoder an industry first - a single platform from which video professionals can simultaneously create multi-format, multi-rate, broadcast quality Internet media streams."

Pricing and Availability
The Intel NetStructure ZT 5504 SBC and ZT 5090 IP Chassis are now available for shipment in Q4'01. Initial pricing for the ZT 5504 starts at $2,555 USD for PICMG 2.16 compliant System Master CPU Board, 850Mhz Pentium III processor, 512MB ECC SDRAM and IDE HDD. Pricing for the ZT 5090 is $4,794 USD. For more information, call 1-800-755-4444 or go to www.intel.com/network/csp/products.

Intel and Intel Netstructure are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

* Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.